Despite being hearing impaired, 16-year-old Tham Li Ping has never let that stop her from facing life positively. She aspires to join the national athletics team and bring glory to the country. Therefore, her mother hopes that society can lend a helping hand to restore her daughter’s hearing, allowing her to continue her studies and face future challenges bravely.

Tham Li Ping, from Puchong, Selangor, is a state-level athlete. Although she has a hearing disability, she has excelled by relying on hearing in one ear. However, her hearing has recently deteriorated, and a check-up revealed that her cochlear implant processor, which she has used for 11 years, is now damaged and urgently needs replacement.

Due to the high cost of the cochlear implant processor, her parents are unable to afford it. They are appealing to the public for donations to help raise the RM 35,000 needed so that Tham Li Ping can continue pursuing her dreams.

【Tham Li Ping Has Relied on a Single Cochlear Implant for 11 Years, but Her Processor Was Damaged a Few Months Ago, Leaving Her Without Her Only Source of Hearing】

Tham Li Ping’s parents noticed something unusual when she was two years old. While crawling up the stairs, a metal tray fell nearby, but she didn’t react. Her parents immediately took her to the hospital, where it was confirmed that she had hearing loss in both ears. The doctors initially recommended hearing aids, but after a year with minimal improvement, they suggested cochlear implant surgery. Following a two-year government aid application process, Li Ping finally underwent successful cochlear implant surgery at the age of five. To ease communication challenges during the waiting period, her parents taught her sign language for daily interactions.

Li Ping has always taken great care of her cochlear implant processor, making every effort to protect it. However, in May this year, she began noticing problems with the device and could no longer hear her teachers during lessons, severely affecting her studies and daily life. This situation saddened her deeply. After regular follow-ups and sending the processor for inspection, the doctors informed her that the model had been discontinued and could not be repaired. She would need to replace it with a new processor.

Currently, Li Ping has hearing only in her left ear, which allows her to manage daily conversations, but she faces challenges in more complex communication situations. Despite this, she is passionate about sports, particularly athletics, and has won numerous trophies and accolades representing her school’s track and field team. She dreams of joining the national team in the future and bringing pride to the country.

Her father, Tan Swee Meng (59), is a contractor at an iron factory, earning around RM 4,000 a month, but his income is unstable. Her mother, Ngo Swee Yin (54), is a housewife. The couple has four children— a 27-year-old son, and two daughters aged 25 and 21 who are all working, while only Li Ping still depends on her parents for living and educational expenses. Faced with the RM 35,000 cost of replacing the processor, the family is no longer able to afford it and is seeking help from the public.

After conducting a home visit assessment, ONE HOPE CHARITY has decided to assist Li Ping by raising the necessary funds and will be fully responsible for the fundraising efforts. All donations will be received by ONE HOPE CHARITY. For inquiries, please contact ONE HOPE CHARITY’s hotline at 04-539 9212, 016-419 2192, 019-232 2192, or 018-911 4192.