Young mother pleads for support in fight vs cancer

By Ramon Dacawi 

Taking a respite from searching for Samaritans, Remedios Walleng, a 34-year old mother of two, took  time - like a mother should -  to breast-feed Jereka, her five-month old daughter.

She was wearing  a mask against infection , as her immune system has been weakened by Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes  diagnosed  Christmas last year, and by four chemotherapy  sessions she had undergone since then.

She, however, could not submit to chemo immediately after diagnosis as she was then 25 weeks pregnant. She gave birth to Jereka last June 20 and started her chemo treatment last July 8 under a 12-cycle protocol at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Jeremia Piaoan, her live-in partner, tried to work double time as a taxi driver in an effort to raise P19,000, the price per cycle. As it was a tall order, the price was reduced to about P8,000 per session, enabling Remedios to undergo three cycles.

With her family financially exhausted, Remedios had her third session last Sept. 4 and then stopped with nine more to go.  It proved costly as the mass on the side of her face enlarged, a sign of relapse.

Last Nov. 29, she began anew her chemotherapy from square one,  again following a 12-session protocol spread every 21 days.

In the social case study report she wrote last July, social welfare officer Melanie Sahoy noted “the family is exerting all effort to support (Remedios’)  chemotherapy” and “ pleads for assistance because it could not afford the cost of her chemotherapy”.

Remedios, who hails from Alilem, Ilocos Sur, worked as a domestic helper in Malaysia until her three-year contract expired in 1998. Her family now stays in a boarding house at FA-301, Km. 4, Balili, La Trinidad, Benguet. Aside from Jereka, the couple has Jeremy, their two-year old son.

Samaritans who would like to support Remedios  through 11 more chemo sessions may ring up her cellphone number (09487802466).  Her second chemo  is on Dec. 19 at the BGHMC.

Meanwhile, Samaritans recently pooled P43,700 in response to the appeal of hemodialysis patient Amor Orpilla who needs to undergo life-time treatment for kidney failure.

Recently, Amor’s father, Moreno, a 73-year old retiree, was diagnosed for advanced colon cancer, prompting her to make an appeal.

A government official handed over P17,000 while a certain Cathy of Philhealth delivered P2,000. From Barangay Bayanihan came P5,000 and an employee of the city assessor’s office added P4,000.

Somebody form La Trinidad, Benguet contributed P2,200 while two anonymous benefactors gave P2,700 and P2,500. Two more donors who declined to be identified gave P5,000 and P2,000 while a certain Heidei gave P1,000. Another city hall employee contributed P500.