Mashurny Herniaty

A mother's unwavering love

At just three days old, Mashurny Herniaty’s daughter, Alaynaa, was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. For a brief moment, the young girl’s breathing and heartbeat stopped.

Although doctors managed to save her, damage had already been done to her developing brain, and she was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy — a neurological disorder that affects her movement, posture, coordination and speech.

As a first-time mother, Herniaty found herself navigating hospital appointments, therapy sessions and the day-to-day care of a daughter who is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair.

Yet she was determined to give Alaynaa as joyful and enriching a childhood as possible.

“We’d talk to her, read her storybooks and let her watch cartoons. She couldn’t respond, so we didn’t know whether she understood, but we wanted to do our part as parents and keep talking to her,” she shares.

Finding a community that understood

Herniaty and Alaynaa joined Club Rainbow’s Care Connection programme, where they found something they had been missing – a community of caregivers who understood the realities of raising children with chronic illnesses, special needs and disabilities. Supported by President’s Challenge, the Care Connection programme supports caregivers through practical assistance such as caregiver training, employment support and legal assistance, while creating opportunities for caregivers to share experiences and support one another.

For Herniaty, the caregivers support group became one of the programme's greatest gifts.

Learning a new language of love 

A few years later, Herniaty noticed Alaynaa communicating through gestures and even mimicking a sign language interpreter she saw in a video. This inspired her to learn sign language. Despite balancing the demands of caregiving, she attended evening classes and practised regularly with fellow caregivers from her support group. 

“I remember getting scolded by my instructor every time I used my voice during class”, she says with a laugh.  

Today, sign language has become part of how mother and daughter connect. 

“When we’re outside, it’s not always practical to use AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) tools to communicate to my daughter. Sign language is much faster for both of us,” explains the mother. 

Her commitment to strengthen that connection with her daughter earned her Club Rainbow's Exemplary Caregiver Award in 2024.

Walking the journey together

Herniaty's greatest hope is to see Alaynaa walk independently. She still remembers watching her daughter take supported steps during therapy.

"She managed to walk with only the therapist's support. It's still a long journey, but I hope she'll get there one day."

Along the way, Herniaty has also discovered the strength that comes from walking alongside other caregivers.

“Every caregiver is strong, but when we are united, we are stronger. We all have different journeys with our children, and no matter good or bad days, we know we will get through it together!”

About Club Rainbow’s Care Connection programme supported by President’s Challenge

Care Connection aims to provide comprehensive support for caregivers of children with chronic illnesses, special needs, and disabilities through a structured programme designed to address their mental, emotional, and practical needs.