"He used to not speak, and we thought he had autism. After various examinations, it was diagnosed that he had bilateral hearing loss, which is why he couldn't speak."

Soon to be 4-year-old Choong Man Him, with his bright black and white eyes, watches as his parents, Choong Yik Wei (42 years old) and Low Sik Yee (40 years old), silently shed tears for his growth and future. Little Man Him has had hearing issues since birth, and after an Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) examination in August, it was revealed that he had severe sensory neural hearing loss (SNHL) in both ears.

After various tests, doctors have determined that he is a suitable candidate for bilateral cochlear implants. They have also recommended that the surgery be completed before he turns 4.

【His hearing has been gradually deteriorating, and even with hearing aids in both ears, he cannot hear his parents' voices】

Man Him, from Srikembangan, Selangor, was an Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) baby. During his time in the womb, he experienced umbilical cord blockage, leading to a halt in the supply of nutrients and growth cessation in the sixth month. As a result, his mother, Low Sik Yee, had to deliver him prematurely.

Man Him's organ development was incomplete, and he had issues with hearing, kidneys, and undescended testes. He spent 33 days in an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit. Currently, his vesicoureteral reflux has self-healed, requiring only regular check-ups, and his undescended testes have been treated. Now, hearing issues pose the most significant obstacle to his growth.

When his hearing problems were initially suspected during early examinations, they coincided with the Movement Control Order (MCO), which delayed the diagnosis. During this time, his parents played white noise when he cried, and this would stop his crying, leading them to mistakenly believe that there was no issue with his hearing.

Man Him began wearing hearing aids at the age of 2. However, in May of this year, a speech therapist found that the hearing aids did not significantly help him. After a referral to a specialized hospital, it was confirmed that Man Him has severe SNHL in both ears, meaning that hearing aids cannot help him hear sounds.

【The doctors have determined that he is suitable for bilateral cochlear implantation, and his parents hope to expedite the surgery before he reaches the age of 4】

Following multiple examinations and testing, doctors have determined that Man Him's ears are suitable for simultaneous cochlear implantation. To improve the child's hearing, normal growth, and learning, his parents hope to expedite the cochlear implantation procedure. The family can afford the surgery costs, follow-up fees, speech therapy fees, and more, but they are lacking RM115,000 for the bilateral cochlear implants. They have sought assistance from our foundation.

Man Him's father, Choong Yik Wei, runs a small renovation company with an unstable income. His mother, Low Sik Yee, works at an information technology company. Besides Man Him, they also have two children aged 16 and 14. The family's income must cover educational expenses, insurance premiums, mortgage, car loan, and the care of their elderly family members with multiple health conditions.

After conducting a home visit and assessment, ONE HOPE CHARITY decided to assist in raising the remaining funds for Man Him's cochlear implants. The family agreed to entrust the fundraising activities to the ONE HOPE CHARITY, which will collect the donations on their behalf.

ONE HOPE CHARITY raised educational funds for a 28-year-old master's student on Monday (23rd), who later decided to give up the RM58,400 assistance for personal reasons and donated it to Man Him on Wednesday. Deducting the educational funds for Sin Yee, Man Him still needs RM56,600 for the cochlear implants.

For any inquiries, you can contact hotline at 04-539 9212, 016-4192 192, 019-2322 192, 018-911 4192.