BENCHWARMER

We are what we share
Ramon S. Dacawi

“We are not what we own,” wrote Mike Jacobs of the Grand Forks Herald ( North Dakota) in one of his winning editorials.

“If we were,” he continued, “we’d all be much less than we were a month ago – and each of us knows we are stronger, more generous and more patient than we were.”

The thought came while he was “stripping a basement”, in the wake of massive flooding that hit his city.

Several persons I know and one I don’t share Jacobs’ feelings. For quite sometime now, they’ve been living out the substance of this truism, whether they hadread him or not.

The one I don’t know now and then asks a courier to deliver some amount to vice-president Rolly de Guzman of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. The anonymous Samaritan began a personal, silent reaching out to the sick several months ago with P6,000, later raising toa grand more.

Whether this anonymous, gentle soul is a he or she, Rolly doesn’t know. It doesn’t matter to him or her.

Part of the donor’s latest contribution (P1,300) went to buying donation cans for other gentle souls to drop their support to Derricke Rheanne, a three year old tot due for surgery to close a congenital, life-threatening hole in her heart. Another P2,000 was used by kidney patient Jane Crispino for her dialysis session.

One of the persons I know is a single parent, an Ibaloi woman raising her young daughter in Kentucky. She has just survived cancer and was on remission last year when she started reaching out to patients here.

A stranger to donor fatigue, she said supporting patients is in gratitude for her triumph for her daughter’s sake, in memory of her elder sister who succumbed to the disease, and in celebration of her father’s years of public service in Benguet.

Her three latest contributions totaling over P45,000 supported Julie Santos, wife of folksinger Mike, in her recent surgery (P4,000), Juliet and Dorcas Oakes, the mother and daughter stricken with cancer (P8,000), a woman cancer patient’s work-up (P8,000), and Janet, a special girl who is due for bone surgery (P6,000).(Distribution of the remaining amount will later be published in this corner).

The family of another woman who has just been cleared of the big C has been issuing out checks for years now to support the sick. While undergoing tests in a facility abroad, she called up her husband, for him to release P5,000. It went to the family of Pidiong Bandao, a 12-year old orphan trying to save his eyes from the complications of diabetes.

From Canada, Baguio boy and architect Freddie de Guzman requested that he be not mentioned for his continuing s personal humanitarian effort he began last year. He relented when told mentioning his personal work would inspire others to do the same.

Freddie and the single parent in Kentucky had supported cancer patient Elmer Biogan and his widow Grace. While they lost Elmer, Freddie toasts Linda Claire (not her real name),.a 49-year old widow with nine children whom he saw through by bankrolling all of her six chemo treatment sessions.

Presently, Freddie is concentrating on six-year old John Brix de Guzman in the boy’s battle against leukemia. Among Freddie’s other beneficiaries were kidney patient Filbert Almoza and the surviving families of Francis Alvez and Phoebe Lagera, a girl who succumbed to eukemia.

There’s that U.S.-based nurse, a Baguio girl who goes by the chat name Princess Lea. Last year, she began a fund drive in the internet chat-room for Santy John Tuyan, then a nine-year old boy with a hole in his heart. The group raised $2,750 for the boy’s surgery, with bulk of the sum coming from her family and sisters. Santy underwent opration and is back in school. Part of the amount remains in bank trust, to be used according to Princess Lea’s guidance.

There’s Irwin Ilustre, another Baguio boy in Canada. He has been sending his sister here to patients’ homes to deliver cash and support in kind. Irwin responded to the plight of Rheanne, the girl with a hole in her heart, by helping meet the goal of P200,000 set by thebarangay council of Scout Barrio here.

Folksinger Dick Oakes and his daughters Pocahontas, Dorcas and Libnah had been singing for years in pro bono concerts for the sick This time, it’s the family’s turn to thank those who supported Dorcas’ brave fight until the end, even as it struggles to see Juliet, Dick’s wife survive her own bout with the disease.

The Oakes family are grateful to the Holy Angels Church and choir, Epiphany Church and choir, Rev. Fr. Charles Carino, Dr. Mario Abuan, Woelke Foundation, Gov. Nestor Fongwan, Vice-Mayor Tim Galwan, GL Trans, Ob-Obfo Oakes Clan of Bontoc, BIBAK California, Baguio-Benguet Musicians, Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club, Councilors Nick Aliping, Fred Bagbagen and Francis Lee, Vice-Mayor Sammy Esguerra, San Jose Alumni led by Batch 2003, Lorma School of Nursing, Easter School, Free Believers in Christ, Brod. Henry Kipas, Puguis barangay officials, Pico Farmers, Hon. Romeo Salda, NENECO Director Joey Marrero, Chinese Subd. Homeowners, Dept. of Agriculture workers, Ganza BIBAK of AranetaUniversity, Dr. Felina Adefuin, Dr. Kelly, Pines Hospital, Cuyopan family, friends and cquaintances not mentioned here and those behind the scenes. Jacobs and they are right. We are not what we have. We become by what we give. (e-mail:rdacawi@yahoo.com for comments).