DUBAI // The mother of a baby who was given a life-saving liver transplant has thanked people in the UAE and, in particular, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed for their support.
After months of worry and fear for what would happen to her daughter, Grace Carungay can now see a brighter future for little Aleeyah.
The one-year-old underwent a gruelling liver transplant operation at the specialist Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan in June.
That was only made possible after Sheikh Mohammed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, stepped in to donate more than Dh200,000 for the procedure and other costs.
“I want to thank all the people, organisations, friends, relatives, my family, anonymous donors, Restaurant Secrets of Dubai, Chang Gung Hospital and the UAE Embassy in Manila,” said Mrs Carungay, who had to give up her job as a receptionist in Abu Dhabi to take care of Aleeyah.
“But I want to thank Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan himself, in particular, for the generosity in supporting my daughter Aleeyah’s liver transplant.
“It’s been a challenging time for us and your help in helping us financially and strong prayers for my daughter’s liver transplant has made a huge difference in our lives.
Mrs Carungay, her sister, who was the liver donor for the operation, and Aleeyah returned to the Philippines last month to continue the recovery process.
She will require ongoing medicine and weekly hospital checks in the Philippines, as well as annual checks at the Chang Gung Hospital.
Aleeyah had biliary atresia diagnosed after she became jaundiced at the age of two months.
The disease causes inflammation in the bile ducts, leading to damage that reduces the flow of bile and scars the liver.
Bile carries toxins and waste out of the body and helps to digest fats and absorb vitamins.
Mrs Carungay took the decision to have the operation in Taiwan because it was not possible to schedule one earlier in the Philippines.
After the 15-hour operation in June, Mrs Carungay, her sister and Aleeyah spent three months in Taiwan as doctors monitored her condition before returning home.
nhanif@thenational.ae
UAE SQUAD
Jemma Eley, Maria Michailidou, Molly Fuller, Chloe Andrews (of Dubai College), Eliza Petricola, Holly Guerin, Yasmin Craig, Caitlin Gowdy (Dubai English Speaking College), Claire Janssen, Cristiana Morall (Jumeirah English Speaking School), Tessa Mies (Jebel Ali School), Mila Morgan (Cranleigh Abu Dhabi).
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
The biog
Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
- After Armstrong departed Nasa, he bought a farm in the town of Lebanon, Ohio, in 1971 – its airstrip allowed him to tap back into his love of flying
- In 1994, Janet divorced Neil after 38 years of marriage. Two years earlier, Neil met Carol Knight, who became his second wife in 1994
RESULTS
1.45pm: Green Oasis Trading – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: Meeqat, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.15pm: Al Shafar Investment – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Flying Hunter, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
2.45pm: The Union 51 Cup – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Ibra Attack, Adrie de Vries, Ahmed Al Shemaili
3.15pm: ASCANA Thakaful – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Onda Ruggente, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.45pm: Commercial Bank of Dubai – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Dignity Joy, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
4.15pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Tolmount, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Rakeez, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Match statistics
Dubai Sports City Eagles 8 Dubai Exiles 85
Eagles
Try: Bailey
Pen: Carey
Exiles
Tries: Botes 3, Sackmann 2, Fourie 2, Penalty, Walsh, Gairn, Crossley, Stubbs
Cons: Gerber 7
Pens: Gerber 3
Man of the match: Tomas Sackmann (Exiles)
Stan Lee
Director: David Gelb
Rating: 3/5
