Hamza was born a seemingly healthy baby. Zeeshan, Hamza's father worked as a rickshaw driver, and had limited means but Hamza was a much-cherished addition to Zeeshan and his wife's life.
However, as the months passed, they noticed Hamza wasn't a happy baby. He would frequently cry and appeared to not respond to them. This started to worry them, and when Hamza was six months old, Zeeshan took him to see a doctor. The doctor prescribed some tests and the results proved his suspicions: Hamza had congenital hearing loss.
Zeeshan and his wife went from doctor to doctor. All said the same thing. A cochlear implant could help. The problem was these implants are very expensive, and beyond Zeeshan's means.
Their search eventually brought them to the Aga Khan University Hospital, where they were directed to the Patients' Behbud Society (PBS) for AKUH. After due diligence, PBS assured Zeeshan of their support, and told him to not worry about finances and just get the treatment Hamza needs. Within days, an expert team of doctors carried out a successful cochlear implant surgery on Hamza
Following the surgery, Hamza's parents started him on his two-year training period to adjust him to hearing with a device. Around the same time, he was also put in speech therapy classes so he could learn to spe.
Hamza's mother tells of her happiness when she first heard Hamza say something. “Hamza said his first words when he was 5 years old. You can imagine our happiness at that point. It is a huge blessing from Allah. Not everyone can get access to this costly treatment. We were lucky that some angel helped us with this miracle."
Zeeshan also feels grateful for the help from PBS, made possibly by the generosity of donors. “I thank the donors of PBS, because of whom, all these children's lives are saved, with Allah's blessings."
Your zakat and sadaqat have the power to spread smiles on faces like Hamza's.
