CANCER PATIENT’S WISH TO ‘BALIK KAMPUNG’ GRANTED
It has been three years since bedridden Noraifa last visited her grandparents
ATEENAGE girl with Stage 3 brain cancer who had wanted to see her grandparents in time for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, got her wish yesterday when she was flown via helicopter from her home in Langkawi to Pokok Sena, Kedah.
The helicopter carrying Noraifa Azira Abdul Aziz, 14, took off from the grounds of Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Melaka, Langkawi around 11am and arrived at SK Bukit Hijau 40 minutes later.
An ambulance operated by the 1Malaysia Volunteers Brigade and Yayasan Jariah Malaysia Volunteer Fire Brigade met her and brought her to the home of her grandparents — Azmi Harun and Siti Hawa Osman, both 63 — in Kampung Bukit Hijau in Derang, Pokok Sena.
The mercy flight was made possible by The Weststar Group’s group managing director Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim.
Noraifa’s mother, Roslina Aaswira Azmi, 38, said her daughter, the eldest of five, had been bedridden for the past year after doctors told the family that there was no other medical recourse left for her.
She said Noraifa was nine years old when doctors found a tumour on her spinal cord.
At 11, she underwent an operation to remove the tumour.
However, the cancer returned. She has since undergone chemotherapy four times but the tumour continues to grow.
Roslina said her daughter has been steadily losing her appetite.
“Last week, Noraifa began asking for her grandparents.
“She said she missed them as it’s been three years since she was able to balik kampung to see them after falling ill,” she said in Kampung Bukit Hijau.
Roslina said she was grateful to the Muslim CareMalaysia activist, Natipah Abu, who worked towards fulfilling what could be her daughter’s final wish to return to her village.
She said they were also grateful to Datuk Kamil Din, who is the private secretary to The Weststar Group’s group managing director, who arranged the flight.
“Today (yesterday), Noraifa seems a bit more cheerful after being able to see her grandparents,” she added.
Meanwhile, Noraifa said she was delighted at being reunited with her grandparents despite being ill.
“I’m so happy I was able to come back to my Tok’s house. Thank you to everyone who has helped,” the teenager said in a soft voice.