Girl needs funds for ear op

From: The Star - Malaysia - Feb 13, 2004

IPOH: Three-year-old Ang Yuan Ni, who is suffering from hearing impairment, needs RM60,000 more to undergo a cochlear implant surgery at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Her mother, Chai Geok Mui, 31, a part-time accounts clerk, said the operation would cost RM80,000,and she had so far managed to raise RM20,000 with the help of the Perak MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau.

She said she had spent RM6,000 on a hearing aid for Yuan Ni, who had used it for the past nine months, but there had been no improvement in her hearing.

"We realised she had impaired hearing when she failed to show any reaction during a noisy lion dance during Chinese New Year when she was 18 months old.

"Doctors have recommended that she go for a cochlear implant surgery before the age of four so that it would be easier for her to learn to speak," she said at a press conference at the MCA headquarters here yesterday.

Chai said that Yuan Ni had undergone speech therapy but the sessions were not of much help.

"We wish to thank all donors and well-wishers and hope that they will continue to support us so that Yuan Ni will be able to speak and lead a normal life," she said.

Members of the public can send their cheques crossed to Perak MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau, with Yuan Ni's name written on the reverse side and address it to: Perak MCA, 90-92 Tingkat Satu, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, 30000 Ipoh. For enquiries, call 05-253-6981 / 253-8455.

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