Help for the disabled through run - Siemens Run

FROM behind, baby Sri looks like any other healthy eight-month-old. However, when this curly haired bundle of joy turns around, people are usually shocked or even sad to see Sri as she suffers from a chronic cleft palate, lip and nose dysmorphism.

The disability does not only leave her with a disfigured face but also deprives her of the simple act of sucking milk using a feeding bottle.

To make matters worse, she hardly has any vision as she has no left eye and her right cornea is blocked. She can only hear with her right ear as there is no eardrum in her left side.

Sri is one of the many disabled children at the Taman Megah Home for Handicapped and Disabled Children who need the attention and help of Malaysians to get through each day.

Bearing this in mind, Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd has selected the home as one of the three beneficiaries of the Siemens Run 2009, to be flagged off at Dataran Merdeka on July 19.

“Sri has a problem crawling, turning and sitting due to the growing size of her head. She can only feed through a feeding tube, which needs to be changed fortnightly. On the doctor’s advice, her parents decided to send Sri to our home to be taken care of as they do not have the means. She has been with us since she was one month old.

Sri’s parents do visit her but there are many children with us whose parents have abandoned them here. We take care of these children too,” said the administration manager of the home.

Sri’s cleft palate, lips and nose is operable but the condition of her head has to improve before any operation is done.

Currently, the home has 128 multiracial residents ranging from babies to adults.

They suffer from disabilities such as Down Syndrome, Dwarfism syndrome, Apeth syndrome and autistic cerebral palsy.

This year, Siemens has screened and identified three charitable beneficiaries.

The other beneficiaries are the SM Pendidikan Khas Cacat Penglihatan in Setapak and the National Autistic Society of Malaysia in Sentul.

Apart from targeting to cross the 4,000 mark again this year in terms of participation, the Siemens Run 2009 will channel 100% of the proceeds collected towards these charities.

“We need to continue helping the underprivileged as they too need Malaysians and corporate companies to help them to survive.

“The Siemens Run is open to all individuals and corporate companies who would like to share our dream of helping unfortunate children like Sri and many many more,” president and CEO of Siemens Malaysia Tan Sri Rainer Althoff said.

The main categories include the 10km Men and Women Open (18 years & above), Men Junior Veteran (40-49 years), Men Senior Veteran (50 years & above); 7.5km Women Veteran (35 years & above), boys and girls (13 to under 18) and the 3.5km Dream Run (open category).

For entry forms or for further details visit www.siemens.com.my/siemensrun2009. Forms and fees should be submitted to the FTAAA office at Tingkat 2, Wisma OCM, Jalan Hang Jebat, 50150 Kuala Lumpur (03-7874 8488). For online registration, please visit www.hooha.asia.