Journalism has the ability to shed light on people’s struggles with life and bring their stories to the attention of generous readers who can help. Kim Dalli catches up with some of those whose lives were made better over the course of last year.
Francesca Catania
Francesca Catania, a 19-year-old single mother of two young children, was facing the loss of social benefits during a trip abroad that she was going to take over Christmas, given to her as a gift. But after a report appeared in Times of Malta, she was allowed to keep the benefits.
Her sister Gertrude, who lives in Germany, had paid €480 for flight tickets to bring Ms Catania and her nephews over to spend the festivities with her.
But when the woman applied for leave to go abroad at the social services office in Birkirkara, she was informed that the benefits were going to be stopped for those three weeks she would be spending in Germany.
“It’s really unfair – this leaves my sister in uncertain waters, financially speaking, upon her return to Malta,” Gertrude Catania had told Times of Malta.
“Our mother died four years ago and our father left us when we were very little. My sister and her two sons were going to spend Christmas alone. I only wanted to make their Christmas one to remember.”
Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia said he was shocked and issued a directive so that recipients of social benefits would be able to travel abroad without losing them.
“I am so happy with this news,” Ms Catania said. “At least through the story we did something good for the rest of society. Thanks a lot for helping.”
Shezyan Zammit
Readers and a number of voluntary organisations pitched in to help seven-year-old Shezyan and her family move to a new social housing apartment in Żebbuġ.
The little girl had received her Holy Communion at age five, following special permission granted by the Church after she was told she would need to undergo chemotherapy to remove what was suspected to be a brain tumour.
Shezyan, together with her father and brother, suffers from neurofibromatosis type 1, a disorder in which the nerve tissue grows tumours that could be benign but could cause serious damage by compressing nerves and other tissues.
As a consequence, Shezyan developed lesions in her brain that need long-term follow-up to exclude malignant brain tumours.
According to her mother, Marisa, Shezyan’s condition is currently stable.
“People have been very supportive. It’s wonderful to see the apartment furnished and the children settled down. We also received help from the Malta Community Chest Fund.”
The family was also helped by Daqqa t’Id Foundation, The Ladybird Foundation and Noah’s Ark.
Javier Micallef
Seven-year-old Javier, who was born without a large portion of his brain, was able to receive three weeks of intensive therapy in a specialised clinic in York thanks to the generosity of The Sunday Times of Malta readers.
Javier is the only person in Malta – and one of three in Europe – diagnosed with rhombencephalosynapsis, a rare brain malformation. Therapy in Praxis of York, a private clinic, offers specialised therapy focusing on the senses.
“We were touched and amazed with the strong response of people, who enabled us to pay for the therapy,” Javier’s father, Dennis, said. “He’s made huge improvements. He’s calmed down, he can chew food and swallow it and he’s no longer incontinent. All his medications were stopped, except for the standard growth hormone injections. He can also say some basic words to communicate his needs to us.
“We’re going up to UK in March for the second phase of the therapy. And since doctors have seen a great improvement in him thanks to the new therapy, we should also be securing funds from the Malta Community Chest Fund.”
Judith*
When a social worker asked a 17-year-old girl what her dream Christmas gift would be, the shy teenager replied that she really wished for new teeth.
Judith (* not her real name) got a brand new smile after a dentist, who read about her dream of fixing her rotten teeth, decided to give her something to beam about.
Times of Malta had published a story about the Children’s Dreams campaign that aims to fulfil the dreams of children who live in care or have social problems.
While several children listed their dreams of having toys, clothes and necessities – like blankets and heaters – Judith asked for teeth.
A dentist, who did not want to be named, read the story and recognised Judith as the young woman taken to him for a consultation by a patient who happened to be a social worker.
The teenager had been plucked out of a life of neglect and her teeth were rotten due to years of malnourishment.
“Her wish to have her teeth for Christmas said a lot. I opted to just go ahead and do them instead of waiting for funds to be collected,” the dentist had said, adding that her mouth was in a terrible state and needed immediate attention.
The process involved cleaning the teeth and gums, root canal treatments, replacing 26 teeth and inserting crowns and bridges.
Bianca Scott
The mother of Bianca Scott – an Australian teenager diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening disease – had thanked “the beautiful souls from Malta” for the support shown towards her daughter from across the globe.
“Your community spirit is truly inspiring. I never knew the Maltese people had such big hearts.
“Thank you. We may have distance between us but you are right here in our hearts,” Tammy Hamawi had written on the Facebook page Bianca’s Battle.
Ms Hamawi put herself in financial hardship by spending all her money trying to fund Soliris, the only drug that could save the 18-year-old. It costs €360,000 a year.
Bianca’s godmother, Lisa Sullivan, who has been living in Malta for the past decade, had called for the support of the Maltese people to help Bianca gain access to this medicine by signing a petition asking the Australian government to intervene.
The Australian government is funding the medicine for a year. Since being given Soliris regularly, Bianca’s health has continued to stabilise and she has been able to discontinue dialysis treatment.