Zheng Wei (second from right) with a letter from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre about his surgery. With him are (from left) Leong, Lai and Yee (right).
THE family of a 21-year-old who has been battling epilepsy for 16 years, is seeking donations for him to undergo life-changing surgery.
Housewife Leong Suay Kuen, from Kampar in Perak, said her son Lai Zheng Wei required about RM100,000 for a surgery that could free him from his debilitating condition.
So far, RM40,000 has been raised.
Leong, whose husband Lai Yoke Ming is a general worker at a chicken farm, said her son was only five when he had his first seizure.
“At first, I didn’t know it was epilepsy as I had never seen anyone with these symptoms and I didn’t know what to do.
“His arms would stretch out stiffly, his eyes were wide open as if staring into space,” she said in a media statement issued by Community Care Enrichment Programme (CCEP) Foundation.
“It happened four or five times daily, each lasting a minute or two,” she said.
Leong said she had sought help from a paediatrician in Ipoh and spent over RM300 every month on medication.
She later found a pharmacy with cheaper alternatives, reducing the cost to around RM200.
Zheng Wei took the medications until he was 12 but the seizures persisted.
“A pharmacist later warned me about the long-term effects of the drugs on brain development, and recommended consulting a neurologist at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun.
“Even after several years of treatment, his condition remains unstable,” said Leong.
She would sleep in the same room as Zheng Wei to watch over him in case he had a seizure attack and would hold him down to prevent injuries.
“Over the years, Zheng Wei has struggled not only with his health, but his condition has also impacted him emotionally,” she lamented.
She said her son worked in a restaurant in Ipoh, but his seizures robbed him of a normal life.
“If the surgery succeeds, I want him to see the world and live the life he dreams of,” Leong said.
“But how can he ever escape this nightmare if we don’t try? How will he live after I’m gone?”
CCEP chief executive officer Yvonne Yee said the foundation was leading efforts to raise the money for the surgery, which would be conducted at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre tentatively between April and June.
According to Yee, the surgery is called stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG), a minimally invasive procedure whereby tiny electrodes are used to map the brain’s epileptic regions, which also minimises the need for open brain surgery.
“The advanced technique has a success rate of over 90%, offering Zheng Wei the chance to live seizure-free.
“We urgently need help to give him a chance at a life filled with hope and freedom.
“Every donation, no matter how small, brings Zheng Wei closer to the life he deserves.
“Please help us give him the chance to see a brighter tomorrow,” Yee added.
Donations can be made to CCEP Foundation’s RHB Bank Bhd account 26219300009342 with Lai Zheng Wei’s name to be put in the remark.
For details, call 03-9755 9999 or WhatsApp via https://wa.link/tzmmgy to request a receipt.
