After heroically undergoing six surgeries to correct the cleft lip, damaged palate and dysmorphic (malformed) facial features she was born with, nine-year-old Malica Hercules has seen a dramatic improvement to her facial structure, but still needs two final reconstructive operations overseas.
In order to facilitate this, her parents need to raise US$25,000 to travel to Toronto, Canada. Malica recently celebrated her ninth birthday and the surgeries have so far gone a far way in helping her live a somewhat normal life. During her delivery, Malica’s mother suffered complications, which forced doctors to use forceps to deliver her twins.
However, only Malica survived and her head plate and skull were fused together at birth and as a result, the right half of her head did not grow in unison with the left half.
Her right eye was also slightly distorted and her face twisted to the right.
‘Baby M’ as she was called then, was featured in the Sunday Stabroek back in January 2003.
She received assistance from numerous individuals and institutions including Kids First Fund, the Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG) and the Red Cross, and underwent two operations in 2002 at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, which repaired the cleft lip and palate.
In May 2006, she underwent an additional set of four operations for cranial–orbital reconstruction.
Though she has been doing well Dr Christopher Forrest, medical director of the craniofacial programme at the Toronto Children’s Hospital, who led a team of doctors who conducted surgery on Malica’s face, has found there is swelling involving her right side forehead and palpable underlying plates and screws.
He has proposed a surgical treatment plan involving coronal scar revision and cranioplasty, which would be Malica’s final surgery for this problem.
Forrester has waived his surgeon’s fees but payment is still required for the procedure and hospital costs.
Despite her condition, Malica is in no way bothered or affected by the regular taunts and teasing she has received by children in school.
Though the intrusive attention she has received forced her parents to enrol her in a school that facilitates her wearing headgear resembling the traditional Islamic hijab or headscarf, the child is determined as any other little girl to ignore what she has gone through and continue with her life.
She previously attended the CV Nunes Primary School in Anna Regina and since her father is a Muslim, she has since been attending the Al– Madeen Islamic Academy. In an interview with this newspaper, Malica positively asserted that Mathematics and English Language are her favourite subjects.
“I always liked English but at first I didn’t like Mathematics at all but it’s easy so I like it,” she said.
The little Henrietta, Essequibo resident said that at her previous school, children called her names but at her new school she feels more comfortable with her condition.
“At my other school they used to call me ‘jumbie’ and ‘jumbie eye’ and ‘cock eye jumbie’,” the jolly lass said.
Asked about her response to the taunts she said, “All I do is just watch and roll up my eye and walk away and sometimes if they do it too much I used to complain to my teacher and sometimes she used to beat them. But at my new school they play with me like normal.”
During her interview, Malica said she enjoys reading and her favourite stories are Mother Goose tales and those of Barbie.
She said that at times she would hear children tease another child who she said had some condition. “But I tell them do not say it because it’s not good. I tell them that I have a problem too and so I tell them don’t call him names,” she said.
Occasionally, she suffers from pain in her eyes if she does a lot of schoolwork and any excessive reading and has suffered from nosebleeds if put through excessive travelling. Her mother Corzetta Hercules said she also feels the child is more comfortable at her new school where her overall performance has improved and her teachers are extremely attentive. “Whenever she misses school they always ask for her and the Imam and others assist in every way they can,” she said.
The woman said also that other than her condition her daughter is normal, very assertive and quick to respond.
Persons desirous of making a donation could do so at an account set up for Melica at Demerara Bank Limited, 1159870. The child’s mother Corzetta Hercules could be reached at 690-0160. For any further information, persons interested in making any other financial donation towards the surgeries or for accommodation for the child and her mother while in Canada they could contact S. Manbodh at 220-7780 or email ssmanbodh@yahoo.com.
