Hope Place Kuching aids family with young boy diagnosed with blood disorder

KUCHING (Aug 2): Hope Place Kuching has come to the aid of a family with a three-year-old boy who is diagnosed with haemophilia A – a genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to make blood clots.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) came upon the plight of this family who lives in Kampung Gita, Petra Jaya here recently, following a tip-off from a concerned member of the public.

Muhammad Ariq Sairil may look like any other normal, active kid but due to this blood related disease, Hope Place was informed that the boy would get swelling all over his body once he fell or hurt himself.

This was due to the high white blood cell count in his body, and for that, his parents would have to bring him to the hospital whenever he had a fall or suffered injury.

“My boy is so active and playful that he cannot sit still and that’s why my husband places a small stair gate to prevent him from climbing up and falling down the stairs,” said the boy’s mother, Nurul.

Ariq’s father, Sairil, 31, is the sole breadwinner of the family. He earns a meagre salary as a grass cutter, earning about RM40 per day, depending on the availability of jobs.

His wife, meanwhile, takes care of Ariq and their two other children, aged five and two months old. She sometimes helps her husband by selling fried crackers on the pavement outside the shop premises.

Hope Place was informed by the family that they have applied for the financial assistance from the Social Welfare Department and are currently waiting for their application’s approval.

For the meantime, Hope Place is supporting this family with basic food aid on a regular basis.

Hope Place welcomes all donations and will issue receipts upon request. Individuals can donate directly to Hope Place Maybank account 511289001160 or visit its Facebook page for the S Pay Global QR code.

For more information, call Hope Place on 082-505987 or 013-5672775.