PETALING JAYA, March 1 — Mohamad Noor Ahmad has served his community for 20 years.

He has always been there to lend a hand to anyone who needed it.

The 75-year-old, who is also the Rukun Tetangga deputy chairman of the PJS9 neighbourhood has always been willing to help his residents whether it’s to catch snakes in the neighbourhood, or handling security matters in the area.

Now, the community is striving to "pay him back” by starting a crowdfunding initiative so Mohamad Noor, fondly known as "penghulu” (village head), can undergo a second heart bypass surgery.

It was launched by Subang Jaya assemblywoman Michelle Ng and the Subang Jaya’s Lions Club.

Although he was initially hesitant to agree to the crowdfunding initiative for his surgery, he eventually relented as the bypass surgery was the only solution.

"I didn’t want to trouble anyone with crowdfunding because the money can be used for other purposes. And I am already old. But now, I am okay with it.”

The retired managing editor experienced shortness of breath in August last year and his condition worsened this year.

"These past few weeks, I realised I was out of breath just from a walk from the kitchen to the living room, and I get tired so easily.

"Last year in August, I went to a government hospital but my appointments kept getting delayed to this year.”

The 75-year-old had his first bypass in 2004 and was able to pay for the surgery at a private hospital using his insurance coverage.

"My wife, also a non-pensioner spoke to Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh about my condition and decided to head to the Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur (CVSKL) last month for a blood test and an echocardiogram (echo) test.

"And the echo tests revealed that my valves were not closing properly — both my mitral and tricuspid valves needed repairing.”

Mohammad Noor told Malay Mail that he was fortunate to secure RM50,000 through the Selangor government’s Selcare funding — thinking that the money could bear the cost for an angioplasty procedure.

"But after the angiogram test, the doctors told me that they couldn’t do an angioplasty procedure because my arteries had complex problems.

"And so bypass surgery was the only viable option that will cost RM150,000.”

He felt extremely sad upon hearing the news from the doctors because it meant having another complicated procedure.

Donations can be channelled to the Lions Club of Subang Jaya Medical Aid Fund at UOB Bank: 122-304-271-1.

Once donations have been made, bank slips are to be sent to LCSJ for their records through phone number  010-798 7508 or email them at lcsj.medical@gmail.com.