KUALA LUMPUR - Seven-month-old Wada Sa Waat had spent more days in hospital than at home.

From the day she was born on Oct 20 last year to April 4 this year, hospital wards were all she had known.

She was born with a heart problem. Her mother, Tom Rem, found out that her baby had holes in the heart when she was five months pregnant.

"What I didn't anticipate was the severity and complexity of her problems," said the 34-year-old housewife.

Wada was delivered by Caesarian section at Kuala Lumpur Hospital and placed in an incubator for a week as she had breathing difficulties. Subsequently, she spent two months in the incubator.

As her condition was critical, she was referred to Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre for immediate surgery.

Wada was found to be suffering from transposition of great arteries, where the blood vessels to the lungs and body switch places; ventrical septal defect or a hole in the heart; and, patent ductus arteriosus -- a small extra blood vessel that allows oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to mix with oxygen-poor blood from the pulmonary artery, straining the heart and increasing blood pressure in the lung arteries.

Consultant paediatrician and paediatric cardiologist Dr Lim Miin Kang told Wada's father, Sa Waat Ai Pum, 35, the operation would be highly risky and that she might not make it.

"I could not accept that my baby should suffer that way and pleaded with Dr Lim to proceed with the operation to give her a chance," recalled Sa Waat, who earns RM1,500 a month as a stall worker.

Wada underwent the operation three days after an appeal for donations was published in the New Straits Times on Dec 25 last year.

However, she could not be discharged as she was vomiting after feeds and also had pneumonia.

She had a second operation on Jan 6. On Feb 12, she was fitted with a pacemaker, but her problems were not over.

Wada still had difficulty feeding from a bottle, so a feeding tube had to be attached through her nose. The tube needs to be changed every two weeks at the hospital.

"The doctors say Wada still has one large and two smaller holes in the heart. And the pacemaker needs to be replaced after five years," said Tom.

"We are poor and managed to raise ONLY RM2,500 with the help of relatives and friends in our village in Pendang, Kedah," said Sa Waat.

The total cost of the three operations and pacemaker came to RM170,000. GIMC had waived RM20,000 in hospitalisation costs.

Wada is slowly gaining weight and is a very curious and alert baby.

"She does not like the feeding tube and sometimes pulls it out. Feeding her through the tube takes at least half an hour but using the bottle makes her breathless. So we feed her both ways," said Tom.

Sa Waat said he was grateful to all who had donated money.

"Without their help, Wada would not have made it this far. Thank you very much for your kindness."

Those who wish to help children with medical conditions can send their cheques, made payable to The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, to: The Cashier, Finance Department/Charity Unit, The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, Balai Berita, No. 31, Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.