Letter from Malky's Doctor!

It is with an exceptionally heavy heart that I am sharing the news that Malka Hirth died this morning.  It's hard to know what to say about Malka.  I've known her essentially her entire life.  She spent the past 6 years bravely fighting AML.  She and her family, together, endured chemotherapy, 2 transplants, DLI, and countless procedures.  Malka was an extraordinary young woman.  I know we often say about our patients that they are "wise beyond their years," but Malka was truly an "old soul."  She and her parents touched everyone they met in ways that are hard to imagine, considering how young she was.  Her parents are remarkable people as well.  They are kind, loving, intelligent, wise, and held together a huge family with warmth and love that is all too rare these days.  It has been an honor to take care of this family.

Malka's last days truly capture who she was.  Over the past couple of months, she painted pictures for each of the special caregivers she has grown so close to, so that each of us would have a piece of her artwork to remember her by.  Then, in December, lying in bed with her mother, she picked up her mother's iPhone and spontaneously composed/sang a song of thanks to G-d for the life she was given.  Mary Jo's friends at Peabody set it to music, and I have attached it for those who want to hear it.  The lyrics are pasted below.  They are incredibly moving, and it's all that much more remarkable that they came spontaneously from the heart of a 7 year old girl who knew she was dying.

Malka celebrated her last Shabbos with her family this past weekend, and individually said goodbye to each of her 9 siblings, and then instructed that no one was to cry.  She died peacefully this morning in her mother's arms.  She will be buried tomorrow on the Mount of Olives, in Jerusalem, overlooking the Old City and the Temple Mount.  This was her request.  She asked her father to bury her someplace special, and when he asked her where would be special, she said, "Eretz Yisrael" (Israel). 

Malka and her family loved the team at Hopkins who provided such exceptional care to her.  As her attending for all of these years, I, too, am grateful to all of you for all that you did for Malka.  I will miss her and her family terribly, but I am a better person for having known her and for having worked with them.

David Loeb

Oh, Hashem

Where do I belong

There must be a home for me

I’m searching for some place to go

Where I can find serenity.

If there’s not a song,

A melody so clear

And when I sing it to myself,

It takes away my fears.

And even though I’m not that strong,

Please help me find where I belong.

MALKY’S LYRICS BEGIN HERE: 

Hashem, please help me fly

And soar through the sky.

I want to know what everything

Is about in Your world,

But sometimes it’s dark

But I know You’re by my side

So I’m not scared at all.

I just say

Oh thank you Hashem

For today.

Oh…

I feel like I don’t fit

Into anything

Everybody stares

When I’m sick like me.

But I know Hashem wanted it

To be just like this.

So I say, “Thank you, Hashem

For every day and every night.”

Thank you, Hashem!

I know you want the best for me

And I’ll take the test,

Whatever it takes to make me better

I’ll fly so high, I’ll reach sky

I’ll past the test, and I’ll be free

I’ll be free.

Oh Hashem, thank you for my life.

For everything you planned

‘Cause I know you planned the best for me

And that, I know, is the best.

Sometimes I am scared,

Sometimes I don’t like when I am all alone,

And it makes me oh so frightened.

Oh Hashem, I love you

I wish everything could be just like that

Just like that.

And I want You to believe,

That I love you very much,

Because you give me special touch.

Thank you Hashem, Thank you Hashem,

Again and again.

Thank you for my life and my test,

Cause I know that it’s the best,

For me and the fleet

Once the test is over,

I know that I’ll be o.k.

Oh Hashem, thank you for everything

Even the test,

Because I know you chose the best for me,

And I know that it’s better,

Better, better than the rest.

Oh Hashem, thank you for everything.

I wish you would understand.

But you do.

And I know you,

Because you understand my pain.

You even feel it inside your heart.

You feel it inside everything.

In bodies You’re smart.

You made me such a difficult way

That is very good.

The feet, and hands, and nose, and mouth,

And eyes to see everything.

Thank you for making me look.

Thank you for making me talk.

Thank you for making me see and smell,

And even to feel well.

Oh Hashem, I love you.

You’re my best.

I love you!

I love you!

‘Cause you know what’s the best.

Better than the rest.

Better than the rest.

You know how I feel when I’m sad.

You know how I feel when I’m glad.

You know how I feel when I’m mad.

You know how I feel when I’m excited.

You know how I feel when I’m everything together.

You know how I feel when I’m happy.

You know how I feel when I’m moppy.

Oh Hashem, you know how I feel,

every single second of the day

So why not I say,

Thank you today!

Thank you today!

Thank you today!

Thank you today!

Oh Hashem, I love you tons,

Oh Hashem, You make everything so easier for me,

Oh Hashem, I love you so much!

I could soar through the sky,

I could fly like a bird,

Oh Hashem, I love you,

I want to hug you,

Oh I love You.

You feel everything that I feel today.

Oh Hashem, Oh Hashem

I love You.

Everything that I feel and I know I’m probably near you very close or maybe not.

Oh Hashem, Oh Hashem,

I love You!!