FATIN Umairah, a bright and cheerful 16-year-old girl, has been diagnosed with High-Risk Neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
To stay alive, she urgently needs RM578,000 to purchase a life-saving drug - Qarziba - which is her only hope.Her father, Azme, shared that Fatin began experiencing frequent stomach pain in January 2023.
Initially treated as a simple gastric issue, her symptoms temporarily improved with medication, but the pain kept returning, each time worse than before.
“Eventually, even gastric medicine couldn’t ease her pain,” he recalled.
“In January 2024, she was in so much pain she couldn’t sleep. I had to rush her to the hospital for scans. After several tests, the doctors suspected cancer.”
Due to the lack of a specialist at the initial hospital, Fatin was referred elsewhere. It was there she was diagnosed with High-Risk Neuroblastoma, and further examinations revealed swollen lymph nodes in her neck — the tumor had grown around her left adrenal gland and neck region.
Azme explained that in March 2023, Fatin underwent her first surgery, followed by multiple rounds of chemotherapy. In August, she had abdominal surgery and then radiotherapy two weeks later. Her final round of treatment took place on March 7, 2024.
During the August surgery, doctors found that the tumor was tightly attached to her intestines and kidneys.
He later learned, to his shock, that the surgery had caused damage to one of her kidneys, making her ineligible for a planned stem cell transplant, which was originally scheduled for December 2023.
“I only found out about the kidney damage when they were preparing for stem cell therapy. No one had informed me earlier. I was devastated… but I didn’t file any complaints,” he said.
Now, Fatin’s only chance of survival is immunotherapy using Qarziba, an extremely costly medication.
Azme is pleading to the public to help raise the necessary funds to save his daughter’s life.
When Fatin began treatment, she weighed only 34kg. After months of enduring painful procedures, her weight has slowly increased to 41kg, and she’s doing her best to fight on.
Yvonne Yee, CEO of CCEP Foundation, explained that Qarziba dosage is calculated based on the patient’s height and weight. Fatin will need approximately 25 to 30 vials, costing RM578,000 in total.
She elaborated that High-Risk Neuroblastoma arises from immature nerve cells called neuroblasts, which exist in many parts of the body, most commonly in the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys. The cancer can also appear along the spine, abdomen, chest, and neck.
As time passes, neuroblastoma cells can spread to other areas, especially the lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, skin, and bones. This stage is known as metastatic cancer.
"Despite the overwhelming cost, the CCEP Foundation is determined to do all it can to help Fatin survive.
"We appeal to your kind heart - any amount, no matter how small, could mean a second chance at life for Fatin,".
Those who wish to help Fatin can contact Yee Poo Yoon at 018-2718849 for more details. - July 1, 2025
