Readers moved to help 10-year-old caregiver
Madam Sharifah Nur Syed, 35, became her father-in-law's caregiver in 2015 after a stroke left him bedridden. A year later, the freelance make-up artist experienced complications while pregnant with her fourth child and as the medical bills piled up, her engineer husband struggled to make ends meet.
In June, their family was featured in a charity video by the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association. After it went viral, donors came forward to help them.
So when Madam Sharifah read about Nurul Syafiqah Roslan, 10, in The New Paper on Nov 2, she knew she had to help.
Nurul has been caring for her mother Yanti Mazlan, 43, who has kidney failure and heart problems, since her cancer-stricken father died of pneumonia in August.
Last month, she received a Dedicated Caregiver Award at the Life Champion Awards Celebration 2017 organised by the National Kidney Foundation.
Said Madam Sharifah: "I was moved to tears after reading the story. I want to encourage their family by helping them, and I hope others will do the same."
Madam Sharifah visited Nurul's family on Thursday to donate money and daily necessities such as rice, oil and biscuits.
She was accompanied by her four children and two friends, Mr Akbar Ali, 46, and Mr Roszelim Bakri, 46, who also donated.
Said Madam Yanti: "I am so happy and touched as I did not expect any of this. I am thankful for the love and care from these kind-hearted people."
She told TNP that netizens have encouraged her on Facebook and a donor regularly leaves bread at their door. Nurul said: "I am so grateful. This inspires me to do more for my mother and gives us hope for the future."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now