I am a Master's Student in Computer Science at Cornell University. I am trying to help my 6 year old niece who is suffering from vascular malformation of the right cheek, tongue and right lower lip. We need to help her live a healthy and normal life like other children. We have to support her to get her treated.

My Niece, sister's (Shumaiela Qasim) daughter, has been struggling with the problem since the age of 2 years. At the age of 2 and half years doctors told us that this was most probably hemangioma and would require no treatment at all because hemangiomas reverse gradually. They told us we needed to observe, wait and see. Later the doctors in Dubai told us to take her to her to her homecountry for treatment as they could not provide her any treatment there. At the age of 3 and a half years she had coagulation of her lip and tongue. This caused a reduction in the lip and tongue size for sometime but after an year it started growing back. At 4 years she had a CT Scan but doctors asked us to wait and observe. At 5 years again she had a CT scan and her attending MD suggested us that she needed a sclerotherapy as this was VASCULAR MALFORMATION and not hemangioma. She had a sclerotherapy in 2015 but unfortunately the results were not promising. It was worse than before. She started to complain of pain in her cheek, tongue and lip off and on. She even started to have breathing issues. At night she would snore too loud with her mouth open. Changing sleep positions did no good. Her recent MRA and MRV results show that she is having narrowing of the airway.

The MRA and MRV was done on 25/7/2016 which lasted 40min and my niece was given Anesthesia for the test. After the test she was breathing abnormally and she was moved immediately on oxygen with oxygen level in her body declining constantly. She was moved to ICU with oxygen and monitors until she was conscious. The oxygen level reached 40% and the doctors were suggesting us that she would need a ventilator now. But thanx to Almighty she started to restore the oxygen as the doctors constantly pumped her chest while she was on oxygen cylinder. They kept her in ICU till she was fully conscious and responding.

We have reached every other doctor in UAE (where my sister lives) and the homecountry but they have told she cannot be treated here. We have contacted so many hospitals in US and Canada (Boston Childrens Hospital, SickKids in Canada, The Hemangioma Foundation) but unfortunately most of them have refused to assist us as my niece does not have insurance. My sister has tried to get a medical insurance for my niece by reaching Cigna, Allianz, Healthcare international, Aetna but everyone has refused to cover her. We also reached Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston and they have given us a quote of $199,458.00 USD. We are devastated and hopeless as this amount is too much for us to afford.

My niece has pain and has difficulty in breathing during sleep. She cannot go out in public places. Children laugh at her and bully her. She cries and hides her face. She looks at herself in the mirror and prays to be beautiful and normal like other girls. She wants to be as pretty as Elsa (Frozen) one day...

I am providing the email we have received from Texas Childrens Hospital.

The following is what we received as a reply from the hospital (it has been addressed to my sister):

Dear Ms. Qasim,

Thank you very much for your patience in this matter. I have the estimated cost for the medical recommendation $199,458.00 USD this quote is for hospital fees, doctor’s fee, and treatment. This quote includes 15% discount.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you.

Kind regards.

Olga Arroyo

International Patient Coordinator

Texas Children's Hospital

International Patient Services

6621 Fannin St. A1106

Houston, TX. 77030

Please help my niece to get treated as this disease is life threatening to her. Let us bring her 4 year struggle to an end. She means everything to her mother.. to us... She is the most sweetest little girl I have come across.

Please make her dream ( to be beautiful like Elsa) come true!!! She also dreams to help people when she grows up...

I am sure together we can get her get treated and look similar to other girls......together we can make all her wishes come true!

Please Help to spread the word and help Zainab and her mother smile with love and support!

Update 1:
Someone suggested us to reach Lenox Hospital, NY. We received an email from their office suggesting us that they can help our little girl. We received a quote of $ 70,126 USD of the entire treatment plan. Based on the quotation, I am lowering the goal amount.

However, we have also been told that Additional cost maybe incurred if complications arise or a longer stay becomes necessary or additional services are rendered (for this I am adding an extra of 15,000 USD as Zainab has already landed in the ICU during a simple MRI). We have decided to opt for Lenox Hospital however this amount is still extensive for us. I request everyone to come forward and make this possible for Zainab. We are extremely grateful to all those who have come forward for Zainab in every way.

Thank you for your Love, Support and Care for Zainab. Thank you for supporting her parents in this difficult time. Lets make it happen now.. lets put a smile on their face. I am sure we can achieve this goal for Zainab together.

Update 2:
The funds will be paid to the hospital for Zainab's operational expenses. My sister in law Habib Fatima is responsible for the withdrawals and delivery of funds to the hospital to pay for these expenses.

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