Mother thanks ailing daughter’s benefactors

By Ramon Dacawi 

It took Julia Degay-Bantas until last week to express her gratitude to Samaritans who pooled P22,300 for her daughter, 18-year old Shaly Cris who, since March last year,  has been on  thrice-a-week hemodialysis treatment to survive.

 “I’m sorry for being late in giving this list of those who responded to my family’s appeal for my daughter, but I guess it’s never too late to say thank you,”  said Julia, a mother of three girls from Besao, Mt. Province and Lamag, Quirino, Ilocos Sur.

She explained she was also downed by flu while monitoring her daughter’s medical condition.

 At her wits’ end early last February on how to raise P3,000 Shaly Cris needed for a new arteriovenous fistula (a connection between an artery and a vein on her arm) needed to connect her to the hemodialysis machine, Julia issued an appeal for help through the media.

Shoshin Kinderhilfe, a small foundation established in southern Germany by Igorot expatriate and former world Shotokan karate champjon Julian Chees, provided the amount.

Dr. Josefina Luspian, one of Baguio’s leading nephrologists, contributed P3,000 to help the girl maintain her dialysis treatment. A “Bontoc Samaritan” matched it with an equal amount  while Padi Justo and family added P1,000.

The Laongan Farm delivered P6,600 while an eatery proprietor along Session Road gave P2,200. Pading Kiwang and family also came up with P3,000.

Julia’s husband, Christopher, gave up farming to work as an electrician’s aide in the Middle to be able support their three daughters. A social case study report from the municipal social welfare and development office in Quirino noted that his income would have been sufficient for the family if not for the need to sustain his daughter’s treatment.    

Like many other  kidney patients from outside Baguio, Shaly Cris and her mother are staying with  relatives here so she  can avail of the hemodialysis service offered the cheapest hereabouts by the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

The girl has her hemodialysis, pegged at P2,200 per session, at 10 a.m. on Monday, 4 p.m. on Wednesday and 7 a.m. on Friday.

Other Samaritans can ring up Julia’s cellphone: 09999479116.