Two major vessels in Federick Jali Anak Entia’s heart have switched places, and he needs to undergo a procedure known as an arterial switch to put them back in the right place.
For the past three weeks since his birth, Federick has been in the hospital hooked up to tubes, with his mother Entia by his side waiting to hold her son in her arms.
Federick was born in Kuching, Sarawak, where his family resides, but was immediately moved to Kuala Lumpur Hospital to receive care and wait for surgery. “He had to be transferred as the equipment needed for the procedure is advanced and not available in Sarawak,” Entia told FMT.
Naga, 34, is still in Kuching with their two other young children, but flies into KL when he can to be with his wife and newborn.
According to Entia, the cost of Federick’s surgery has been set at RM80,000 and it is his only option for survival.
“If his blood vessels are not positioned properly, his heart will not be able to function normally and he will not survive,” she explained.
Naga is the sole breadwinner of his family of five. With his limited salary as a mechanic, it has already been a challenge for him to support his family.
Now, with the added expense of Federick’s surgery as well as accommodation, food and transportation while they are in KL, Naga and Entia are struggling and hope to receive help from the public.
Entia, a housewife, said being alone in an unfamiliar location while dealing with her son’s condition has been difficult.
“When Federick was born we were so excited to bring him home, but everything changed so quickly,” she said. “Now I am here in KL, separated from the rest of my family as we go through this difficult time.
“I have to hold back my tears and remain strong for my family.”
Still, the 27-year-old is determined to help Federick no matter what it takes. As such, she is reaching out to fellow Malaysians to raise money for her baby’s heart surgery.
Entia has enlisted the help of Persatuan Kebajikan Amal Da Ai Malaysia, a non-profit established in 2017 that assists disabled and special-needs individuals, as well as families going through tough times.
Da Ai is holding a campaign to raise the funds required for Federick’s procedure. “Any amount of money would be extremely helpful for us right now, and we are extremely grateful to everyone who is willing to donate,” Entia said.
Despite a difficult start, Naga and Entia are hopeful the surgery will be successful, and look forward to being able to hold Federick and bring him home to live a long and healthy life.
If you wish to contribute towards Federick’s surgery costs, contact his case manager Ms Yumi at 016-9649766 or send her an email at [email protected].