"My name is Ong Shu Xian... I want to go to school and study." Going to school is the most ordinary daily activity for most people, but for her, it is the most fervent desire she cannot fulfill.

As the world gradually transitions from sound to silence, the fear of being unable to express oneself and not being understood by others is something even most adults find difficult to bear, let alone a naive and inexperienced teenage girl.

Ong Shu Xian could hear and speak since she was young, but for some reason, her hearing started deteriorating, to the point where she had difficulties communicating with her parents and friends.

Ong Shu Xian, from Kuantan, Pahang, realized in the sixth grade that she seemed unable to hear clearly. Her parents didn't recognize the problem at the time and only took her to a general clinic for examination without further investigation. At one point, her parents even thought she was just making excuses for not studying by saying she couldn't hear. It wasn't until years later, when Shu Xian entered high school, that her hearing continued to worsen. When she complained to her parents again about not being able to hear the teacher, they finally realized that she was genuinely facing hearing issues.

【Afraid to communicate with others and struggling with unclear speech, she gradually lost confidence】

During a detailed examination at the hospital, doctors found that there were no issues with Ong Shu Xian's outer ears, but there was damage internally. Considering that she had never had a high fever or experienced any falls, doctors did not rule out that her hearing loss might be due to a bacterial infection. She was diagnosed with progressive bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and the only solution to restore her hearing was to implant a cochlear implant. The surgery was deemed urgent due to the severe deterioration of her hearing.

Ong Shu Xian's hearing had been gradually worsening over the past three years, and now she could hardly hear any sound, making it difficult for her to speak. She relied on lip-reading and visual communication methods. Although her parents rented hearing aids for her, they were not very effective.

During her time in high school, coinciding with the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, Ong Shu Xian managed to keep up with online classes and revisions. However, when she had to return to campus the following year, her hearing had deteriorated significantly, and she had no close friends to accompany her in class, which made her gradually afraid to go to school.

Spending extended periods at home, Ong Shu Xian became afraid of interacting with strangers and could only understand others' intentions by lip-reading or written text. She was also afraid to communicate with people, fearing she might say something wrong or be laughed at for unclear speech. Ong's mother, Lee Siew Chen (46 years old), said, "She can't learn by herself now... She can't hear what we say or express her thoughts, and has become a bit lacking in confidence, even a bit resigned."

【The family is burdened with heavy financial responsibilities, and the parents are unable to bear the full cost of the cochlear implant】

In order to help their daughter regain confidence and return to school, Ong Shu Xian's parents, Ong Eng Weng (48 years old) and Lee Siew Chen, wish to follow the doctor's advice and have her undergo cochlear implant surgery as soon as possible to improve her hearing, learning, and communication abilities. However, despite their best efforts, they have only managed to raise RM10,000, leaving a shortfall of RM74,550 for the cochlear implant surgery.

Ong Eng Weng works as a rubber cutter, while Lee Siew Chen is an accountant. They also need to support their two daughters who are already attending university, as well as a son in primary school. They have monthly expenses including mortgage payments, car loans, insurance, living expenses, and also contribute to the household expenses of elderly relatives who occasionally help take care of the children. Consequently, they are unable to afford the full cost of Ong Shu Xian's medical treatment.

After a home visit and assessment, One Hope Charity has decided to assist them in raising RM 74,550 so that Ong Shu Xian can undergo cochlear implant surgery as soon as possible. The family has agreed to entrust the fundraising activities entirely to One Hope Charity which will also collect the donations. For any inquiries, please contact our hotline at 016-4192 192, 019-2322 192, 018-911 4192.