KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- The father of eight-year-old S. Harsheetaa Sai has expressed his gratitude to Malaysians for raising RM1.5 million for his daughter's upcoming heart surgery in the United States.
R. Selva Ganapathy, 42, said the amount was raised in less than a month after news about his daughter's congenital heart defect was shared in the media.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude for your incredible generosity and unwavering support during this challenging time. Thanks to your kindness, we have now reached the fundraising goal necessary to take the next crucial step in my child’s journey to healing.
“Our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, also provided financial aid recently, which helped ease the financial burden we felt since day one. With your donations, we are now able to proceed with the upcoming treatment and surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, where Harsheetaa Sai will receive the specialised care she needs,” he told Bernama.
Selva Ganapathy, who is a teacher at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Saraswathy in Sungai Buloh, said he is waiting for his visa interview at the United States embassy here. He hopes to leave for the U.S. between April 12 and 14.
“These are all crucial steps before we can travel for the surgery, and we feel so much closer to this life-changing opportunity because of your support,” he added.
Harsheetaa Sai, who studies at the school where her father teaches, has been battling heterotaxy since birth and requires financial assistance to undergo a procedure at Boston Children’s Hospital, a leading medical centre in Massachusetts known for its expertise in treating complex heart conditions.
Heterotaxy is a rare congenital disorder in which internal organs develop in abnormal positions due to improper left-right patterning during foetal development. It commonly affects the heart, lungs, liver, spleen and intestines, often leading to severe complications.
On March 20, Anwar extended financial aid to the family of Harsheetaa Sai, and the contribution was delivered by the Prime Minister’s political secretary, Datuk Ahmad Farhan Fauzi, during a visit to the child’s home in Batu Caves, Selangor.
-- BERNAMA
