"An architecture graduate needs to move around, but I can't move now."

In 2020, when Nurul Addina was about to complete her final semester of architecture studies at university, she suddenly found that her right hand and foot were numb and unable to move. The symptoms were like having a stroke.

She went to private clinics and hospitals for examination. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the Seberang Jaya Hospital, a common non-traumatic long-term disease of the central nervous system. Modern medicine has no cure for this disease; patients can only delay symptoms through medications.

Nurul Addina is 23 years old this year. She always experiences numbness in her palms. She needs crutches to walk and will feel joint pain when she walks or stands. She also lost the ability to control her urination, so diapers have become her daily need.

Her condition relapsed in April last year, and she was hospitalised. Under the doctor's advice, she tried medicine but had to stop it due to allergic symptoms. The hospital later suggested that she try another injectable medication, and she needed to continue with it long-term if she did not develop any side effects.

The medicine costs RM2,200 per dose, so the total cost for four doses is RM8,800. However, the family could only afford two doses, so they requested help from One Hope Charity for the remaining two doses.

Her parents are retirees, and she is the youngest in the family. She has three siblings, her sister just started her job as a teacher, earning less than RM3,000, and her elder brother just formed his family. Her second brother works as a food deliveryman after leaving school, and his income is only enough to cover his expenses.

Nurul Addina is now taking three vitamin supplements to relieve the allergy symptoms from the previous medications. On the other hand, she also shelved her dreams of completing her studies due to the illness.

After reviewing the case following a home visit, One Hope Charity decided to help Nurul Addina with the two doses of medication through an allocation from the "emergency medical reserve fund", with the hope of easing the financial burden of the family, as well as to improve her medical condition.

To allow patients to receive treatment and save lives within the golden window, One Hope Charity has established the "emergency medical reserve fund" to ensure that the underprivileged groups who need urgent medical assistance can directly use the reserve fund for treatment.

When you have difficulty deciding which patient of medical aid to donate to, you may channel your donations to the "emergency medical reserve fund" so that patients can receive immediate assistance. One Hope Charity will review and approve all the applications before releasing the required amount from the reserve fund.

If you have anyone around you that needs food aid or medical assistance, please approach One Hope Charity to apply for the fund. Call One Hope Charity's hotline at 016-419 2192, 019-232 2192 or 04-539 9212 for assistance.