By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, Dec 23: Christmas came early for 27-year-old Adelyn Allen Alang who gets to hear again after a successful auditory brainstem implant operation.
Adelyn, the youngest of five siblings and previously a convenience store clerk, suffered from bilateral acoustic neuroma.
She had her tumor removed in an operation held on Nov 15 at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).
Speaking at a press conference held after switching on Adelyn’s hearing implant at SGH today, Minister for Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK) Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah commended Sarawak HEAR and panel of KPWK Medical Assistance Committee for their efforts in giving hopes to Adelyn.
Fatimah pointed out that the date chosen to switch on Adelyn’s hearing implant, which is today, Dec 23, is significant as the Christmas celebration is just around the corner.
“So it is done in such a way that this will be the best Christmas gift anyone could have because it would make a lot of difference in their life, especially for Adelyn,” she added.
Adelyn is one of seven Sarawakians including children throughout the State who received medical assistance from the Sarawak government in the years 2021 and 2022.
To date, about RM620,000 were spent by the Sarawak government to provide the necessary assistance for each individual.
Meanwhile, Fatimah also witnessed the handing over of 20 link chairs (three seaters) and two computer units from 38 Yayasan Pencinta Amal, a non-governmental organisation, to SGH.
Apart from that, the foundation also contributed Christmas goodies to 130 children in SGH children’s ward. — DayakDaily
