Student needs Viagra to survive

Spotted this heart-wrenching story in the Star today.

So, Pfizer, have a heart and spare some small change to ease the pain of a young girl?

Student needs Viagra

BUTTERWORTH: For the past one year, Florentina Usun George has been taking Viagra daily, not for the wrong reason but to treat her ASD Pulmonary Hypertension ailment.


The 21-year-old student of Cosmopoint College in Penang needs two Viagra tablets, at RM40 each, daily to keep her going.

Medical problem: Florentina showing a doctor’s letter stating that she has ASD Pulmonary Hypertension at the Penang Umno complaints bureau in Butterworth yesterday. With her are Linda (left) and Farah.

“Without the medicine, I will experience chest pain, breathing difficulty and (feel) weak. It is really painful and I cannot concentrate on my studies,” said the second-year Computer Graphics student.

Florentina, from Miri, Sarawak, said she was diagnosed with the disease when she went for a medical check-up at University Malaya Medical Centre in March last year.

She was told to take Viagra daily to maintain her blood pressure level.

A doctor who declined to be named said Viagra could reduce the pressure on the right side of Florentina’s heart which was high.

The doctor said Viagra was initially introduced for hypertension but it was later found that it could also help patients with erectile dysfunction.

Florentina’s former lecturer Farah Nuzaily Zakaria, 27, said she had taken her to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur and Island Hospital in Penang, and again was told Florentina had to take Viagra to live.

“We were told that Viagra was the cheapest medication that could help improve her condition,” she said during a press conference held at the Umno Public Complaints Bureau office in Butterworth yesterday.

Forentina’s younger sister, Linda Livan George, 20, is working at a fast food restaurant in Penang to help buy the medication.

Those who wish to help Florentina can send out their cheques made payable to Biro Pengaduan Umno, Tingkat 2, Bangunan Mahkamah Munisipal MPSP, Lorong Kg Jawa, Jalan Bagan Luar, 12000 Butterworth. They should write Florentina’s name on the back of their cheques.