KUALA LUMPUR: THE tale of baby Ainul Mardhiah Ahmad Safiuddin is testament to the fact that no matter where or how far Malaysians go, we will always be there for each other.
It is a tale of how we step up when we are needed the most, of how the word “stranger” means nothing when a Malaysian is in need. It is a tale that brings hope where it is most needed.
Suffering horribly from germ-cell tumour in her mouth, the 9-month-old’s plight was first highlighted on Facebook.
As word spread on social media, Ainul Mardhiah’s story reached London-based Malaysian doctor Nur Amalina Che Bakri in the United Kingdom.
She said she became aware of Ainul Mardhiah’s case through her followers on Instagram.
“When I found out about the case, I made a plea on Instagram to get the contact details of Ainul’s parents. Eventually, Ainul’s mum (Nurul) Erwani (Zaidi) DMed (sent a direct message to) me on Instagram. So, it all started from there,” said Dr Amalina, who is a general surgery registrar in London.
Dr Amalina wanted to do everything in her power to help the family as Ainul Mardhiah’s condition had been declared palliative by doctors in Malaysia, meaning that they saw no possible treatment and deemed the tumour inoperable due to the high risks involved.
“The parents really (wanted) to go to the UK to get a second opinion,” said Dr Amalina, who agreed to speak to the New Straits Times only after obtaining the consent of Ainul Mardhiah’s parents due to doctor-patient confidentiality.
Even though she is a general surgeon for adults, she was determined to help the baby. She consulted paediatric specialists and it was agreed that the baby should be brought to London for treatment.
Among the challenges faced by Dr Amalina was Ainul Mardhiah developing a chest infection prior to her flight, causing a two-week delay on her arrival.
“Due to Ainul’s chest infection, we also needed to wait before we could perform the operation as it would be dangerous for her.
“She was tiny for her age, so we had to increase her feeding regime to ensure that she was well nourished and fit for the operation.
“The journey was also very risky for her. Given that she had a tracheostomy tube to support her breathing, she needed to be accompanied by anaesthetists to make sure that the journey was safe. That’s why it took a while to get Ainul Mardhiah to London as I needed to find the right people and ensure (her) safety,” she added.
She then got in touch with Colonel (Rtd) Datuk Dr Jaseemuddeen Abu Baker, a consultant anaesthetist, who agreed to accompany Ainul Mardhiah, as well as Datuk Dr Razin Kamarulzaman from Malaysia Airlines, who arranged the flight for the family.
She thanked them and Dr Gunalan Arumugam, another anaesthetist who accompanied the family, the Malaysia Airlines crew, Malaysian High Commission assistant registrar Jefri Harun and Malaysians in the UK — Dr Fahja Ismail, Dr Najmiah Khaiessa Ahmad and Dr Sharifah Faridah Syed Alwi, who assisted Ainul Mardhiah’s parents with emotional support and finding accommodation.
But there were also technological challenges when magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could not be performed due to interference from the tracheostomy tube.
“They (the Malaysian medical team) managed to do only a computed tomography scan. An MRI is better in this case to see the demarcation of the tumour in detail.”
Eventually, the MRI scan was done in London, with the anaesthetic team there changing the tube to one compatible with the MRI scanner.
Dr Amalina said following the operation, Ainul Mardhiah is being monitored closely. It will be a long road to recovery for her, but there is always the danger that the tumour may recur.
Dr Amalina has formed a special bond with Ainul Mardhiah’s family, and the experience has made her vow to see what she can do to help others.
“(I had) mixed feelings... (it was) overwhelming. They’re like my family now. My eyes welled with tears after the operation.
“I was very anxious throughout the surgery. I really hope that Ainul Mardhiah will recover and live a normal life like other babies her age.”
She thanked the surgical team in London, especially Dr Juling Ong and Professor David Dunway. She also thanked Malaysians, whom she called “very generous”.
“This is what I love about Malaysia... people donated and gave their support regardless of race, religion and colour. Thank you, Malaysians!”
Ainul Mardhiah’s father, Ahmad Safiuddin Ahmad Razak, who had been updating his Facebook page on her condition, said the family was unsure when they could return to Malaysia.
“Among the questions constantly asked was when we would be back... could be a month, more than a month.
“Doctors here would like to monitor her to ensure that the growth does not recur. Once they are confident that she is free of the traces, perhaps she can go back. Let the specialists do their job and decide when is best for her to be discharged.”
Safiuddin said Ainul Mardhiah’s cleft palate surgery would be done once she reaches an ideal weight of between 6kg and 8kg.
Dr Amalina, 31, made headlines in 2004 when she scored 17As in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.
The Kelantan-born doctor from Kota Baru graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2013 after obtaining the Kijang Emas scholarship from Bank Negara Malaysia to study medicine in the UK.