Seven-year-old with severe hearing loss needs RM90,000 for surgery

KUCHING (Jan 23): A seven-year-old boy suffering from severe hearing loss critically needs RM90,000 to undergo cochlear implant surgery, which would enable him to hear and learn like his peers.

P’ng Zhen Jie from Melaka is scheduled to undergo the surgery here today.

However, his family is struggling to raise the required funds, said Community Care Enrichment Programme (CCEP) Foundation chief executive officer Yvonne Yee during a news conference yesterday.

Yee said the boy had already missed the critical learning period between the ages of two and four, and risks facing even greater difficulties in social interaction if the surgery is further delayed.

According to her, Zhen Jie has been using a hearing aid but the improvement has not been significant.

An examination conducted by HearLife Hearing Centre later confirmed he suffers from severe hearing loss.

Without HearLife’s guarantee, Zhen Jie would not be able to have his cochlear impact surgery as scheduled, she said.

She added that it had been agreed the boy would proceed with the surgery first, after which CCEP would raise funds to help the family cover the costs.

Also present at the news conference was Zhen Jie’s adoptive mother Chan Yok Mooi.

Recalling her first encounter with him, Chan said Zhen Jie had not been well taken care of when she first met him, and there were occasions when he had to be hospitalised for medical care.

She said she had spent tremendous time and efforts to ensure that he felt safe in his current environment.

Chan, who has a child with hearing loss herself, said she was willing to lend a helping hand so that Zhen Jie could receive all the assistance he needs.

“Without hearing ability, it is very difficult for a person to survive, be it studying or seeking employment in the future,” she said, appealing to the public for support.

“Not only does Zhen Jie need the cochlear implant surgery but after the surgery, he also needs to go through trainings to enable him to pick up listening skills and the possibility of speech.”

Established in 2022, the CCEP Foundation is a national charitable organisation with tax-exempt status.

All donors are required to provide their personal details and will be issued receipts for their donations. Donations can be deposited into the CCEP Foundation’s RHB account at 26219300009342.

For enquiries, call 010-2798849/03-79559999 or visit ccep.org.my.