BENCHWARMER

RAMON DACAWI

Samaritans in our midst

If not for her serious illness – and her mother’s persistence –, 20-year old Manellaine Solis, like other ordinary people, would not be in the news. Her mother, 45-year old laundrywoman Elena, last Tuesday pleaded that her daughter’s plight be published, hoping Samaritans out there would respond so the girl could have her chemotherapy treatment set on Monday.

A Samaritan responded Wednesday, same day Sunstar Baguio carried Elena’s appeal. Not wanting publicity, the donor had someone in a government office call Elena’s cellphone number and advise her to pick up P4,000 - the cost of one chemo session. “Hindi ko po alam kung sino s’ya (I don’t know who he or she is),” Elena said.

“Basta na lang tinawagan ako ni Ma’am Au para kunin yong tulong sa upisina n’ya (Ma;am Au just called me to get the donation from her office).”Manellaine, the eldest among three sisters, and her mother traveled Friday to San Fabian, Pangasinan for the patient to rest in her father’s native home before the four-hour chemo session in Dagupan City tomorrow.

“Nasa Dagupan po ang doctor n’ya dahil sa kanya kami ini-refer noong malaman ang sakit ng anak ko noong 2005 (Her doctor is in Dagupan as we were referred to her after my daughter’s illness was diagnosed in 2005),” Elena explained. Manellaine, a high school graduate who wants to become a teacher, is suffering from lupus nephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys caused by a disease of the immune system.

Somehow, her parents raised the needed amount for her initial six monthly chemo sessions, aside from the cost of her first of another six treatment cycle scheduled quarterly and pegged at P4,000 each. Tomorrow will be her second.

The continuing medical ordeal has left the family deeply in debt. Manuel earns P184 a day while Elena averages P300 in her clothes-washing. Hardly enough for the daily basic needs and monthly rent on their two-room place at 20 Maria Pucay, Central Guisad Barangay.

To cope, Ana Minerva, Manellaine’s 18-year old sister, also began working as a housemaid after her high school graduation for P2,000 a month. Mikki, the youngest at 15, is in third year high school. She may also end up as a housemaid.

“Whoever he or she is, our family will always be indebted to the donor and pray for God’s blessings to him or her and and his or her own family,” Elena said of the unknown Samaritan. As this coming Monday was nearing, Elena had vainly knocked on doors for help.

The city social welfare and development office headed by Betty Fangasan, however, allotted P2,000 for the mother-and-daughter’s transport and other expenses.Others who would like to follow suit for Manellaine’s third chemo may ring her mother’s cellphone number 09207034496.
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RCBC Bank vice-president Roly de Guzman’s eyes get misty now and then. Last week, they welled again when a messenger delivered to him P8,000. He doesn’t know from whom it came. He was advised not to tell anybody if he would know. “It’s from the same source, and I’m simply awed”, olly said, referring to whoever he or she is who, for months and months now, has this propensity of handing over cash – not for deposit but for the seriously ill who don’t have a peso to their name.

My eyes welled, too, last June 12 after that gigantic Philippine flag was unfurled at the city athletic oval grounds. And immediately after, when , upon entering another bank, I found the grounded meaning of patriotism.An Ibaloi woman raising her daughter in the United States had remitted $250 which Banco de Oro converted to P10,718.01. Her U.S. working visa had just expired and she was due to come home to visit an ailing elder sister.

Now and then, she herself needs to undergo medical check-up after surviving cancer two years ago. “Pray that this will not be my last remittance,” she e-mailed. Of the amount, P1,502 enabled 19-month old baby Ernelle Ruth Acyapas to sustain her maintenance dose of Topamax for hepatic encephalopathy; P1,800 was added to the cost of one dialysis session for kidney patient Filbert Almoza; P3,500 went to the post-treatment check-up of former cancer patient Rose Ann Cordova; P3,000 for psychiatry patient Nora (not her real name); with P916.01 remaining. Just when patients were out knocking on doors “Princess Lea”, a Baguio girl and nurse in the U.S. e-mailed use of about $1,000 remaining of what she sent the other year for the surgery of 10-year old heart patient Santy John Tuyan.

At P44 to the dollar, a $500 (P22,000) withdrawal from her fund went to the chemotherapy of 21-year old nurse Divina Amor Salcedo (P13,000), biliary atresia patient Kenneth Robenes (P2,000), and post-cancer check-up of Rose Ann Crodova (P4,000), aside from the infant formula of baby Jason (P921.75).

Jason, son of patient Nora, can’t suck milk from her mother due to her regular psychiatry medicine dose. Before noon Thursday, Baguio boy and architect Freddie de Guzman called from Canada where, for two years now, he regularly visits cash transmittal firms. Recently, he has concentrated support to seven-year old leukemia victim John, aside from supporting Nora, Almoza and victims of the April 11 bus crash wherein 12 people bound for Ifugao were killed.

Freddie also triumphed over colon cancer several years ago. He has just lost his job. Still, he called to say he’ll resume transmittal by next month, and to assure the plan to go fishing will proceed when he comes home next year. (e-mail: rdacawi@yahoo.com for comments).