PETALING JAYA: theSun’s story published yesterday about stage-four cancer victim Vijayaletchumy Subramaniam, 51, who has only a few months to live, and her worries about the future of her only child, 13-year-old Kalliswary Chandrasegaran, has touched the hearts of Malaysians.
Donations and commitments have been coming in since yesterday morning, and as of press time, it has reached RM10,300, with a single individual donating RM1,500 to help the family, who live in Kampung Fajar, Ampang.
NGOs and individuals across the country are also independently raising funds for the teenager and her mother.
The family needs RM1,000 monthly to pay for Vijayaletchumy’s treatment, which includes dressings and pills, and groceries, utility bills and Grab car rides to take her to the hospital and back, which alone costs RM50 each time.
The Council of Datuk Dato’ Malaysia was also deeply touched by the family’s plight, and has called for internal donations to be sent in by Saturday.
“We had planned to raise RM5,000, and have almost reached our target, with RM4,800 collected for the family within a day. We appealed for the donations in cash and food aid to be handed to our Welfare Committee by Saturday.
“We plan to visit the family and deliver our donation as soon as possible, once the RM5,000 target has been reached,” said Datuk Samson Maman, its secretary-general.
An individual contributor, Wisdom Sabrina Low, said she was deeply touched upon reading the story of the family’s dire circumstances.
“Not many people realised this, but Tuesday was World Single Parents Day. As a single mother myself, I was very moved by the family’s situation.
“It is very painful to see another mother facing such dire circumstances and it hurts a lot. I hope others will also donate to the family to ease their burden,” she said.
Another individual donor, who declined to be named, said as a father of three children, one of whom is Kalliswary’s age, he was drawn to her plight.
“At 13 years of age, Kalliswary is still a child and should not have to be the adult in the family. I feel for her and her situation, which is why I decided to donate,” he said.
Meanwhile, NGO Suriana Welfare Society (SWS) told theSun that it has decided to take care of the family’s requirements.
Its founder Dr James Nayagam said the NGO was formed in 2011 with the primary goal of promoting and protecting the rights of children in crisis.
“SWS is currently pursuing the development of preventive and rehabilitative programmes to address social issues involving disadvantaged children and their families.
“We will provide them with accommodation and cover Vijayaletchumy’s medical expenses. We will also provide education, long-term care and all other basic needs for Kalliswary until she reaches 18 years of age.”
James said SWS will support Kalliswary’s education even up to university level as it has people ready to sponsor the teenager.
“We will also provide her with emotional support and counselling and will comfort her throughout this tragic and traumatic journey that she is experiencing.
“We have professional counsellors to help children overcome this type of tragic situations, and we are confident we can assist her to overcome her distress.”
It was reported yesterday that Vijayaletchumy has been having chemotherapy since 2011 when it was discovered that she had breast cancer.
However, the disease has since spread to her neck, nerves and lungs. She currently receives treatment at a government hospital close to her home.
But her ailment aside, she said she is more concerned about her daughter.
“I am worried about what will happen to Kalliswary once I am gone. We do not have anyone who can take her in, and our financial burden is too much for me to bear.
“Our village head has very kindly allowed us to live in this house for free for the last three years since learning I developed cancer. The house belongs to him.”
Those who are keen to help and contribute to the family can contact theSun journalist Veishnawi Nehru at 018-315 4019.
