Meme: Save Yvonne's Sight

I have never met Yvonne. And that is my loss. I have read about her, though.

And after knowing what this courageous 22 year-old has gone and is going through, I really feel so so small. So humbled by her struggle.

Yvonne Foong discovered she had a rare genetic disease at 16.

Doctors told her she had neurofibromatosis type 2 that causes benign tumours to grow in her brain, spine and along her peripheral nerves. The disease is incurable.

Yvonne has survived several surgeries to remove tumours - one on her spine and the rest on her brain. She is now semi-paralysed on her face, deaf, partially blind, has poor balance and a stiff right leg.

Yvonne who blogs (www.yvonnefoong.com) and is the author of I’m Not Sick, Just A Bit Unwell, (picture), has been raising money on her own to pay for her operations.

Right now she needs to undergo yet another surgery.

Marina tagged me for "Save Yvonne's Sight".

Marina says Yvonne is losing her eyesight. The operation is due in December and once again she needs to raise funds for it. The cost of the surgery is USD44,000 (RM154,770) and the cost of her hospital stay for two weeks is USD915 or RM3219.

"She has already raised RM10,000 of this but obviously still has a long way to go. She's hoping to raise the rest by republishing her book I'm Not Sick, Just A Little Bit Unwell in English and Chinese.The books are now available in Malaysian bookshops and from her website store. She is also selling T-shirts at bazaars and via her web site store. You can read about her surgery and donate to her fund here."

You can also help by sending on this meme. If you do, please follow these meme rules:

1. Create a blog entry titled "Meme: Save Yvonne's Sight"

2. List three things you love to see. Add in the picture of Yvonne's book cover. The URL is http://www.yvonnefoong.com/images/banner/my-story.jpg

3. End with the line, "Yvonne Foong is in danger of losing her eyesight thanks to neurofibromatosis (NF). Please find out how you can help her by visiting her blog at http://www.yvonnefoong.com."

4. Tag 5 blog friends. Be sure to copy the rules, OK?

5. If you have a Facebook account, please check out Ellen's new invention, a "feme" pronounced FEEM, a meme designed for Facebook here. And if you want to blog about NF, that would be great too!

The three things I love to see are:

1. my children, nieces and nephews

2. the ocean

3. clear blue skies

I'm tagging the following blogger friends to ask them to help out:

1. Tok Mommy

2. Maverick

3. Fauziah

4. Shanghai Fish

5. Tony Yew

Yvonne Foong is in danger of losing her eyesight thanks to neurofibromatosis (NF). Please find out how you can help her by visiting her blog at http://www.yvonnefoong.com.