BAGUIO CITY -- Samaritans may find the fight of Donna Mae Sagmayao against breast cancer an uplifting counterpoint to the recent spate of deaths among patients here and in Benguet.
Thanks to what she said are “people I know and people I don’t know”, the 31-year old storekeeper pulled through six rounds of chemotherapy she completed last May 16.
That paved the way for the second stage - 34 sessions of linear radiation treatment which she began last June 10 at the Villaflor Hospital in Dagupan City.
“We are going back to Baguio every Friday to check if I have enough money again for my following sessions, then move down to Dagupan on Monday,” she said in a report she wrote for her benefactors.
“We rented a small room there for us to stay,” she said, adding she had eight treatments as of June 24.
“Before undergoing radiation, I had to undergo a process called simulation and planning and this cost P13,750 plus others such as CBC ,” she said.
She admitted the financial distress and the pain, including physical suffering as she underwent chemotherapy, undermined her will to fight on, “as if I wanted to give up because it was so hard how I felt, physically, emotionally.
“I’m happy for you people that you are therefore me, specially to God above all. It’s really a miracle for me as I don’t have the means to undergo these medications.”
She recalled how, early last February, after her appeal for help was published, she received a cell phone text asking her to meet someone.
“She handed me an envelope, saying the donor didn’t want to be recognized. I thanked her. The envelope contained P14,000,” she said. “The following day, (someone) handed me P5,000 and a Bible through a courier. A cousin, Mrs. Gail Mariano, handed me P12,000.”A “Mr Fred” then called up, saying he would – and did = come to the hospital and paid her P12,000 bill during her third chemo session.
“People I know and people I don’t know came to give financially in small and big amounts,” she said, enabling her to go for her fourth, fifth and sixth sessions. One who declined to identify himself contributed P2,000.
“Another at NBI handed P6,000 (but) didn’t want to give his name. My cousins, relatives, neighbors, friends and acquaintances helped also. Our missionary pastor in my home church volunteered to help.”
She listed them: Missionary Church of Christ – P12,000; KARODA organization and drivers – P2,000; Claire Banig – P15,000; Mrs. Celina – P5,000; Jose Napi8loy – P500; Jun-Jun Napiloy – P1,000; Aunt Pilar Alfonso – P500; Mr. Sagucio – P2,000; Jenalyn Tagtagon – P3,000.
Others who would like to help complete Donna Mae’s radiation therapy may ring up her number – 09127501709.
The girl’s fighting spirit serves as an antidote to the gloom from the recent passing on of 13-year old cancer patient Mark Anthony Viray and dialysis patients Aelfric Paquitol, Veronica Lee-Casuga, Jennifer Dangla and Jerry Wayan.
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