Children’s Wish Society grants wish of teenager

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Chong presenting the Samsung Tab 2 10.1 to Simun yesterday.

Chong presenting the Samsung Tab 2 10.1 to Simun yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: Lixmon Simun, who was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), had his wish fulfilled yesterday.

Thanks to the Children’s Wish Society (CWS) of Malaysia, the 16-year-old can finally get his hands on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 that was specially delivered by hand to him on his hospital bed at the Likas Women and Children Hospital.

One of CWS’ strong supporters, Promenade Hotel presented the gadget to the teenager. The hotel was represented by its marketing communications officer, Jessica Chong. Also present at the ceremony were pediatrician Dr Iqbal Iyen and pediatric hemato-oncologist Dr Ong Eng-Joey.

Simun was first diagnosed with bronchiectasis and deteriorating lung function and had undergone a post-allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) in 2008 for acute myeloid leukemia (diagnosed in 2007).

He is cured of his leukemia after undergoing the transplant, but developed bronchiectasis as a complication arising from the transplant.

Simun was transferred to the Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital (SWACH) from Kudat Hospital on Feb 7, as his mom wanted to discuss further plans for his treatment.

His lungs were getting progressively worse mainly from bronchiectasis (destruction of lung airways causing them to be enlarged and scarred) and became very dependent on oxygen supplement now as his lung condition has been worsened by the onset of TB in his lungs.

As his family house is part brick and part wooden, it is very unlikely that he will be allowed to have a home-based oxygen supplement.