Dubai: Neck-deep in debt with four children, including an ailing daughter and son to raise, a Dubai-based mother is praying for a miracle this Ramadan.
Desperate for any support she can receive, Sri Lankan expat Fathima said, “My life is in complete despair. At one point, I even contemplated ending my life, but the thought of leaving my children in the lurch stopped me.”
She said her eldest, 13-year-old Daanya, is suffering from Arthrogryposis, a rare congenital condition that entails multiple joint contractions, while one of her three sons, Abdul Rahman, 10, has been diagnosed with hydronephrosis in his left kidney. Hydronephrosis is the swelling of the kidney due to a build-up of urine when it cannot drain out to the bladder due to a blockage or obstruction.
While the cost of medical treatment of her children has been soaring, so has Fathima’s debt. “I have an outstanding of nearly Dh100,000 now. I have no means to repay the huge amount. I became a defaulter and had to court arrest. It was the most difficult time for us as a family. I am out now, although my passport has been withheld.”
Fathima, who is a customer service agent, said none of her children go to school now because of her abysmal financial situation.
“My daughter is a talented girl and can paint very well. But she desperately needs surgery in her hands and knees, and I do not have the money?” she said, adding that the estimated cost of the operations is Dh85,000.
She said her son’s insurance had been used to its limit, after which she has not been able to take him for further tests. “I have no idea how much his treatment will cost as I have no money even for the required consultations and investigations,” she said.
Fathima said with her meagre income, she finds it difficult to make ends meet as she has loans to repay.
“I am at a loss on what to do. I feel hopeless. It’s Ramadan now, but I feel miserable that I cannot give my children even basic schooling and medical treatment. I am letting them down so badly. All I can pray is for a miracle so that I can give them a decent life. I owe it to them, but desperately need help to make it happen,” she said.
