Aifa was just a regular primary school student until she was diagnosed with pineoblastoma, a rare and aggressive brain tumour, in January. Since then, she has undergone multiple brain surgeries, chemotherapy, and 30 sessions of proton therapy.
During the therapy, the Primary 2 student lies perfectly still under a fitted mask, facing radiation alone. She never complains. She simply asks, “What’s next?”
Devastating News
Aifa’s mother, Aisyah, recalls how it began during a family holiday late last year. Aifa started complaining of headaches. Then came double vision, vomiting, and troubling fatigue.
“We thought it was just a passing bug. But when the doctors reviewed her MRI and asked for a consult, my heart sank. Within days, we were told she had a malignant brain tumour. I remember feeling like my world stopped.”
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Bravely Facing the Treatments
Aifa has faced every part of her treatment with determination. She brought her favourite plushies for the proton beam session for support. She selected cheerful or calming songs to steady her breath during radiation.
At first, she was afraid of the mask that had to be moulded tightly to her face and secured. “It was scary,” Aisyah admits.
“We thought she would need general anaesthesia for every session.” But with preparation from the team at Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF), along with support from doctors and nurses, Aifa found the courage to try.
She completed one session fully awake. “The team gave her a standing ovation. She looked surprised, but she smiled. That gave her confidence. After that, she never looked back.” Each session became a ritual: soft toy in hand, her favourite stickers on her mask, and her family cheering from the sidelines.
Support from the Children’s Cancer Foundation
During her treatment, Aifa was separated from her sister, Auni, for nearly two months due to ward restrictions.
“They cried over video calls. They wrote each other cards and folded origami birds. It broke our hearts.”
Eventually, the family appealed for a visit and Auni was allowed into the hospital room. “It was like the sun came back. That reunion meant the world to us.”
The family also leaned on love, faith, and the support of the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF).
CCF offered not only emotional support, but practical tools that made a real difference in how Aifa and her family coped.
CCF’s social workers supported Aifa with emotional guidance and practical tools tailored to her age and needs. Using 3D models, play-based activities, and illustrated books, they helped her understand what was happening to her body in a non-threatening way.
“They spoke her language. They never talked down to her,” Aisyah says. “That made all the difference. Aifa felt in control, not just scared.”
CCF is the only social service agency in Singapore that offers dedicated Child Life Services at NUH and KKH, which helps children cope with the stress, fear and confusion that can come with cancer.
When Aifa experienced anxiety before each session of her proton therapy, CCF introduced her to breathing techniques and created a personalised ‘coping toolkit’ with calming activities and comforting items.
CCF also supported her sister Auni, who attended art therapy sessions and received age-appropriate explanations of Aifa’s illness. They also worked with their school to ease Aifa’s reintegration and build empathy among her classmates.
“CCF didn’t just support Aifa,” Aisyah adds. “CCF supported all of us. As a caregiver, I didn’t have to carry the weight alone.”
A Hope for Tomorrow
Aifa is now preparing for her final rounds of chemotherapy and her family hopes to celebrate her ninth birthday in November with just one wish: no more cancer.
“We don’t need a big party,” Aisyah says. “Just her health, her smile, and our family together again. That’s enough.”
By sharing their story, Aisyah hopes to comfort other caregivers walking the same path. “This journey is lonely at times. But you are not alone. There are people who understand – who will cry with you, hope with you, and walk beside you, one day at a time.”
Hair for Hope: Together, We Can
Children’s Cancer Foundation is holding its flagship fundraiser Hair for Hope under the theme “Together, We Can” as a renewed call for solidarity and compassion.
A common short-term side effects of undergoing cancer treatment is hair loss, which may affect the confidence of children with cancer. By shaving their heads, shavees aimed to let children with cancer know that it is okay to be bald.
This gesture shows children with cancer and their families that they are not alone in their fight against cancer.
This year, the main Hair for Hope event will be held on 26 and 27 July 2025 at VivoCity where the the public can step forward as shavees to show their solidarity with children with cancer. There will also be thoughtfully curated activities and informative exhibits at the event to allow the public to connect with the cause in a deeper way.
Beside the main event at VivoCity, there are various public satellite Hair for Hope events being held at the following venues and dates:
- Northpoint (29 June)
- Brickland Sunshine Residents’ Network (29 June)
- Clementi Mall (5 July)
- Heartbeat @ Bedok (5 July)
- Punggol 21 Community Club (6 July)
- 79 Kampong Bahru Road #01-01 (7 July)
Other ways to support the work of Children’s Cancer Foundation include making a donation or supporting a friend who’s taking the leap as a shavee.
All funds raised from Hair for Hope goes towards CCF’s five core pillars of support: psychosocial care, financial assistance, educational support, family engagement, and palliative and bereavement care.
Get more details on how to support Children’s Cancer Foundation and Hair for Hope.
