KOTA KINABALU: Rohead Nik Dominic, 15, who made headlines in the local and national newspapers since 2009 following a visit by Croatian Ambassador Zeljko Bosnjak, in now in a critical condition.
According to his mother Justina Marambuk, 40, who has been looking after the fifth child for many years, Rohead’s heart is failing due to complications from thalassemia.
“We will be going back to our village in Kampung Morion, Kota Marudu today because Rohead’s doctor can’t do anything, anymore.
“My husband and I are now waiting for the ambulance.
“He (Rohead) has not been eating since the past three days and yesterday he was in a coma.
“He couldn’t open his eyes.
“I don’t know what to do.
“I don’t want to lose him, he’s a strong boy,” Justina said to The Borneo Post when contacted, yesterday.
Justina was sobbing.
She said Rohead’s sister Herrytika Nila with Thalassemia major, passed away when she was six due to severe anemia.
Justina is still hoping Rohead will be okay because every time she held her son’s finger, Rohead will respond with a slight
move.
Since 2009, Rohead and his mother had to travel three hours from Kota Marudu to Likas Hospital monthly for reviews and blood transfusions.
He also had many hospitalizations before that, that added to the family’s burden.
His mother said when it was very bad, it could be blood transfusion for Rohead once a week and his condition had become worst since last year where Rohead almost spent the whole year at Likas Hospital, until yesterday.
Rohead is one of the recipients of the Children’s Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS), a national charity dedicated to fulfilling wishes of children who are faced with life-threatening and terminal diseases in the country.
Rohead was given a Sony PSP by CWS in December 2009.
Croatian Ambassador Zeljko Bosnjak who saw the news on a national newspaper contacted the CWS, and within 24 hours, arrangements were made and Bosnjak made his first trip to Sabah to meet Rohead at his one-room wooden home in Kota Marudu.