A mother filled with hope for her afflicted daughter

Sweet surprise: Safiah Maisarah, 37, getting a surprise from her children Fathiahana arissa, nine, Farrel Zafran, seven, and Fairahana anissa, one, who made a Mothers day card to celebrate the day in their house in Puncak alam. — aZLIna aBduLLaH/The Star

SIBU: Mothers Day wish for Linda Wong is for her four children to be “always healthy and happy”.

However the health of her eldest daughter, Phoebe Ngu, who has scoliosis is a major concern.

An accountant for a chain of supermarkets, Wong, 49, in celebrating Mothers Day, hopes Phoebe’s problem would get better and not worsen.

“The scoliosis problem started when she was 15 years old. She had an abnormal S-shaped spine. As she gets older, her condition is getting worse and this worries me a lot,” said Wong.

Some time in October last year, doctors recommended that a surgery be done on Phoebe to reduce the curvature, improve posture and relieve the pain.

“Doctors told me the surgery was necessary because one side of her spine had curved 60° and was already pressing against her lung. The surgery was the hardest decision that I had to make. When I finally agreed to it, I kept praying every day that it would be successful,” she recalled.

The surgery was done on Jan 15 at a private medical specialist centre in Kuching. However they had to be there for about two weeks after the surgery as Phoebe had to be warded to recuperate.

Phoebe’s scoliosis situation, according to Wong, has improved after the surgery.

Phoebe, 20, who is taking up a tourism course locally, is now able to be on a four-month internship.

Wong prayed that on this Mothers Day, Phoebe’s condition would improve further as “her spine is still bending 30° to one side”.