Ardent cancer Lego fan, 11, dies

PETALING JAYA: Muhammad Danish Maarif, the 11-year-old cancer patient and ardent Lego fan, is no more.The Star Online reported that the boy, who has been battling a form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma, passed away at his home in Kuala Selangor at 4am Wednesday.

According to the report, Muhammad Danish had not been able to eat or drink since Monday, and was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where he was fed milk through a feeding tube later that night.

He was discharged on Tuesday, and passed away Wednesday.

The information was relayed to the portal by Wan Shahriza Wan Ab Rahman, who was part of the team behind "Legoland for Danish" – a project which accorded the child the chance to see Legoland up close – in his very home, as he was too weak to visit the theme park.

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Hearing about the child's love for Lego from his mother, Wan Shahriza last month initiated the Facebook campaign with the help of a few others. The goal was to bring Legoland to Muhammad Danish, if he couldn't go to the theme park.

They sought Lego "donations" from the public – to surround the child with as much Lego as possible.

At the time the campaign was initiated, doctors had stopped conducting chemotherapy on the child, as there was "nothing more" they could do for him, medically. He had also had one of his legs amputated, one of his lungs removed, and part of his other lung scrapped.

Despite his suffering, Muhammad Danish always had a smile on, evident in most photographs carried in the media.

The campaign caught the attention of Lego and Legoland Malaysia, which on September 28, brought Legoland to Muhamamd Danish's home.

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Three mascots, namely Lego Darth Vader, Lego Builder and Lego Policeman visited the ailing child and a team from the theme park also decorated his room with an adventure theme, resembling a hotel room in its theme park in Johor.

The Star also quoted Lego Malaysia country manager Dick Yoong relaying his deepest condolences to Muhammad Danish's family. He also thanked those who had come forward to support the child's journey.

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