All Aina Syara Anwar wants is for her hair to grow when she gets well.

A year of chemotherapy has left the eight-year-old bald. She suffers from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Her mother, housewife Lina Malek, 31, said: 'Aina has a twin. They like to wear the same clothes and earrings so they want to have the same hairstyle too.

'Her twin is very sad that her sister is sick and cannot go to school with her.'

Ever gutsy, Aina said with a grin: 'I want to grow my hair long.'

Last October, after a prolonged fever and loss of appetite, she was diagnosed with leukaemia at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH).

Her father, Mr Anwar Ajiman, 40, said: 'At first, we could not accept it. Why did this happen, we asked?'

While her parents struggled to come to terms with her illness and to raise money for her treatment, Aina bore her condition with grace and fortitude.

Her treatment is subsidised by KKH and the Children's Cancer Foundation.

Ms Lina said: 'Every time the nurse or doctor stuck a needle into her body, I would feel the pain too. A year ago, whenever the doctor saw her, I would step aside and cry.

'I do not want to let Aina see me cry because if I cry, she would cry too.'

She added: 'Aina is a strong girl. She tries to take the pain. When the nurses want to give her an injection through the port on her chest, she would want to see what they are doing.' A port is an implanted device through which blood may be drawn and drugs may be infused so there is no need for repeated jabs.

Aina even counsels other children who are newly diagnosed with cancer, encouraging them to stay strong and not to cry.

However, chemotherapy has taken its toll on her young body. She gets side effects like hair and appetite loss, mood swings and nausea.

Mr Anwar said: 'She is normally happy-go-lucky but when the mood swings come, she gets grumpy, quiet and scolds everyone around her.

'When she gets a fever or infection, she does not tell us she is sick because she does not like staying in hospital.'

Aina has been admitted to hospital every month for the last year to receive chemotherapy and treatment for various infections.

Her frequent hospital stints have had a tremendous impact on her family.

Mr Anwar lost his job as an audio-visual technician in January. His work performance dipped after Aina's diagnosis as he often had to apply for leave to take her to hospital.

He found another job in March but left that in July. He now works freelance and is looking for a full-time job.

As for Ms Lina, she finds it stressful juggling her time between Aina and her four other children, one of whom is only seven months old.

When her youngest child was born, she stored his cord blood with private blood bank CordLife on the advice of Aina's oncologist, Dr Tan Ah Moy.

She said: 'Sometimes, the other children get jealous but I have explained to them that I love every one of them 100 per cent but I have to give Aina 101 per cent care.'

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.