Couple appeals for financial help as daughter battles leukaemia for third time
An Indonesian couple has launched a crowdfunding campaign for their 13-year-old daughter, Graceline Famlevina, after her cancer relapsed while she was undergoing treatment in Singapore.
Source: Give.Asia
Parents Fadli, 43, and Gema, 42, told MS News that Graceline is battling acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) for the third time. AML is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
According to the Give.Asia fundraiser, Graceline urgently requires intensive chemotherapy, Donor Lymphocyte Infusion (DLI), and a second bone marrow transplant to survive.
The fundraiser aims to raise S$363,700 for this new phase of treatment, while Fadli told MS News that Graceline’s intensive chemotherapy and second transplant are expected to cost around S$350,000 to S$450,000 in total.
Image courtesy of Fadli
The family said the leukaemia returned while Graceline was undergoing her fifth cycle of maintenance chemotherapy.
Parents juggling work and caregiving duties
Both parents work in quality control (QC) laboratories in Indonesia.
Fadli works at a pharmaceutical company, while Gema works at a dairy company.
However, Graceline’s treatment has significantly disrupted the family’s daily lives.
Source: Give.Asia
Speaking to MS News, Fadli shared that Gema is currently staying in Singapore as Graceline’s full-time caregiver.
Thankfully, her employer has allowed her to work remotely while caring for their daughter.
Meanwhile, Fadli can only visit Singapore periodically, about once a month, due to his work commitments.
Family devastated after cancer relapse
The parents said they were devastated when doctors informed them that Graceline’s cancer had returned.
“We were very devastated and we did not know what to do, but we tried to organise our emotions and keep fighting for Graceline’s recovery,” Fadli told MS News.
According to the fundraiser, Graceline’s symptoms returned in April 2025, when she developed a sudden fever.
Blood tests later showed that her platelet count had dropped drastically, while her blast cell count, which measures cancer cells in the blood, had surged.
Source: Give.Asia
The family then brought Graceline to the National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore on 23 April 2025 for advanced treatment.
Her treatment plan included intensive chemotherapy, followed by a bone marrow transplant.
First transplant brought hope before relapse
On 25 July 2025, the family received hopeful news that Graceline’s bone marrow aspiration results showed her blast cells were negative, meaning she was ready for the transplant.
She successfully underwent her first bone marrow transplant in September 2025.
However, after several rounds of maintenance chemotherapy, doctors later found that her leukaemia had relapsed again.
Source: Give.Asia
Graceline is now undergoing oral chemotherapy daily, five days of intravenous chemotherapy at the hospital every month, and blood tests twice a week.
Fadli said her intensive chemotherapy is scheduled to start on Wednesday (20 May), while her second bone marrow transplant is planned for July.
Treatment costs far beyond family’s means
Fadli explained that the family turned to crowdfunding because the medical costs are far beyond what they can afford.
“The medical cost for Graceline’s treatment is far beyond our salary as employees in Indonesia,” he said. “We are foreigners trying to do our best for our daughter’s recovery in a foreign country where the costs are very high.”
Source: Give.Asia
According to the fundraiser, Graceline’s first bone marrow transplant in September 2025 already cost about S$300,000.
Following the transplant, the family also had to cope with the cost of maintenance chemotherapy, medicine, and regular blood tests.
Family lost their son while daughter was battling cancer
The fundraiser also revealed another tragedy the family endured during Graceline’s treatment journey.
Two years ago, while Graceline was undergoing chemotherapy, her younger brother Sean died after contracting meningitis.
According to the fundraiser, the family was still focused on Graceline’s cancer treatment when Sean’s illness progressed rapidly.
“We buried our son while our daughter was still fighting for her life in the ward,” they wrote.
Source: @celinedreamscometrue on Instagram
After losing their son, Fadli and Gema had to continue caring for Graceline in hospital while grieving.
Graceline is now the couple’s only remaining child.
We promised Sean we would not let his sister follow him. We promised ourselves that we would not be childless parents.
Dreams of returning to school
Despite her illness, Graceline remains hopeful about her future.
According to her parents, she hopes to return to school, receive a scholarship, and continue her studies in Singapore.
“She dreams of becoming a voice actor,” Fadli shared.
Source: Give.Asia
He added that Graceline also hopes to create online content that can entertain patients, just as online videos have helped lift her spirits during treatment.
However, her illness has severely disrupted her childhood and education.
“She has lost time playing with her friends, studying, and attending school like other children her age,” her parents said.
Even so, her school has continued supporting her by providing study materials, which Graceline completes and submits so she can continue earning grades.
Parents appeal for public support
The family said they have been encouraged by the support they have received from friends, strangers, and donors throughout Graceline’s treatment journey.
“We are very grateful for your kindness,” Fadli said. “Your contribution, no matter how small, will mean the world to her.”
Source: Give.Asia
In the fundraiser, the family also shared that they have “nothing left to sell and nowhere left to borrow from”, and are humbly asking for the public’s help.
“Graceline really needs help from all of you,” Fadli said. “She deserves to get the treatments she needs to get complete recovery.”
Donations can be made here. All funds raised will be managed by Give.Asia and paid directly to the hospital for treatment purposes.
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Featured image adapted from Give.Asia.
