Adenia Najwa Maimanah, an eight-year-old girl, has spent the last two years living with a serious chronic illness that has gradually weakened her small body. Once active, Adenia now relies on specialized medical support to survive, as her condition prevents her from eating normally.

According to her mother, Ike, Adenia’s health problems began when she started losing weight rapidly and could no longer keep food down. “Every time she ate, it came back up. Nothing stayed in her body,” Ike explained. Concerned by her worsening condition, the family sought medical help. Doctors later diagnosed Adenia with a severe esophageal disorder that affects her ability to receive nutrition.

The diagnosis marked a turning point for the family. Ike recalled sitting beside her daughter in silence after hearing the doctor’s explanation. “I felt weak. I looked at my child lying there and didn’t know how I would manage,” she said.

Already facing hardship after the loss of her husband, Ike is now the sole provider for her three children: her eldest daughter Alifia, 19; her son Muhammad Divta, 11; and Adenia, the youngest. To support them, she sells homemade crackers daily, walking from place to place in hopes of earning enough to survive.

“If I have to make and sell thousands of crackers, I will do it so my child can get treatment and drink milk,” Ike said. However, income is unpredictable. Some days, she returns home without selling anything at all. “Sometimes there is no money even for daily meals. We borrow from relatives or neighbors just to eat,” she added quietly.

Adenia currently receives nutrition through a feeding tube and can only consume special medical formula. Her weight continues to decline, and she must attend regular monthly checkups at pediatric surgery and nutrition clinics. Each visit requires additional expenses, including replacing medical equipment and purchasing specialized nutrition.

“There are moments when I don’t eat so my children can,” Ike said. “I don’t mind what people say about me. What matters is that my children are not hungry.”

Medical professionals have stated that Adenia’s condition requires long-term care and consistent monitoring. Without regular treatment and proper nutrition, her health remains fragile.

Ike hopes that by sharing her family’s story, greater awareness will be raised about families struggling to access medical care for chronically ill children. “I don’t know what else to do,” she said. “I just want my daughter to have a chance to grow stronger.”

As Adenia continues her fight, her mother remains by her side—selling, saving, and sacrificing each day in the hope that her child can receive the care she needs and a better future awaits.