CWS fulfils cancer teen’s wish to fly with help from the police.
CWS fulfils cancer patient’s wish with police help
GEORGE TOWN: Cancer patient R. Ghaayathiraan, 18, had his wish to fly on a plane fulfilled, not once but twice when he was taken on a special flight from Penang to Langkawi and back.
The teenager, who suffers from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, was flown in an 18-seater King Air Beechcraft during the trip which lasted about one-and-a-half hours, all thanks to the Royal Malaysian Police.
He was accompanied by his mother A. Geetha Davi, 48 and elder sister R. Swathidharani, 21.
When asked about his experience, Ghaayathiraan was all smiles as he got to see the beautiful islands and fly on a plane for a second time this week. “It was awesome. Thank you so much,” he said.
On Monday, Permatang Pauh Umno chief Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said had made it possible for Ghaayathiraan to be flown to Subang and spend the whole day in Kuala Lumpur before being flown back to Penang around 10pm.
Geetha Davi said it was “truly a surprise” for the whole family as Ghaayathiraan was scheduled for a hospital appointment yesterday but the doctor told the family to go to the airport instead.
“The next thing we know, we saw press members and several police officers.
“For the past seven years, we’re so used to just seeing doctors at the hospital and not policemen,” said the housewife during a press conference at the Penang Civil Aviation Authority Of Malaysia (CAAM) office at the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas yesterday.
She said that it was an early birthday pres- ent for Ghaayathiraan who will be turning 19 on Dec 23.
Ghaayathiraan was diagnosed with cancer when he was in Form Two and had undergone a series of treatment.
After completing his Form Five, he worked part-time at a car wash and as a waiter before the cancer relapsed about three months ago.
Also present yesterday were Ghaayathiraan’s father M. Ramachandran, 54, and brother R. Ashwin, 16, as well as the Royal Malaysia Police Air Operation Force tactical strategy officer Deputy Supt Mohd
Hafiz Ayob and state police administration department officer Supt Rizal Abdul Rahman Sidek.
Supt M. Tharma Rajah, 44, was the pilot while his co-pilots were Deputy Supt Syed Shahir Syed Syeh, 39, and Sjn Mej Zamzurinna Zainol, 37 – all from the Royal Malaysia Police Air Operation Force.
Children’s Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS) vice-president Teoh Teik Hoong said the flight was made possible by Bukit Aman’s Air Wing and the Penang state police.
CWS Malaysia is a non-profit society which fulfils wishes of terminally ill children nationwide.