Leukaemia girl gets double joy

Six-year-old Nur Ainin Sofea Mohd Asri enjoying her new gift together with her parents and younger sister. At right is Children’s Wish Society of Malaysia member Ong See Chyn.

GEORGE TOWN: Six-year-old Nur Ainin Sofea Mohd Asri could not hide her delight after receiving what she had been hoping to get -- a laptop computer.

Nur Ainin, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia since February 2009, immediately became engrossed with the Acer laptop which was presented to her by Children's Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS) member Ong See Chyn.

The condition is a malignant cancer where immature white blood cells continuously multiply and are overproduced in the bone marrow.

It disrupts the function of normal cells in the bone marrow, and might cause damage or death by infiltrating other organs.

Present with Nur Ainin were her parents -- technician father Mohd Asri Said, 31, and mother Noorhashimah Hashim, 33 -- and younger sister Nur Ainin Natasha Najwa, 4, who suffers from chronic lung disease with global developmental delay.

Noorhashimah said she was very touched and happy that her daughter's wish was granted, adding that she could not afford a laptop as she did not work while her husband earned only about RM670 a month.

"I have no idea why she is so keen to have a laptop. I thought she would have wanted a Sony Playstation game console," said Noorhashimah, who looked over her daughter's shoulder as she fiddled with her new toy and played games.

Penang Hospital paediatric oncology ward medical officer Dr Teh Tat Sin had written to CWS to relay Nur Ainin's wish.

Her parents thanked CWS for fulfilling their daughter's wish.

The gift was not the first piece of good news the family received.

"I was informed that a bone marrow donor had been found for my daughter. This, and Nur Ainin Sofea getting a laptop, are both really good news," said Noorhashimah.

Nur Ainin is undergoing chemotherapy at Penang Hospital. She suffered a relapse in December.

Apart from the two girls, Noorhashimah and her husband have two other children, one of whom is Nur Ainin's twin, who suffers from umbilical hernia, and a son, who is the only child in the family who does not have any illness.

Noorhashimah said while Nur Ainin had yet to attend school, they did not neglect her studies and taught her at home.

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