Widow seeks help for treatment of son’s grave ailment

By Ramon Dacawi

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- A widow whose monthly income is less than the monthly amount needed to keep her ailing son alive is knocking on Samaritans’ doors for support to sustain his life-time treatment for kidney failure.

As farm laborer at Alno, La Trinidad, Benguet, Rita Anuden receives between P2,000 to P3,000 a month, falling far short of the cost of keeping alive her 16-year old son Humphrey who has to undergo thrice-a-week hemodialysis in order to survive.

The boy, eldest of three children, has to pay at least P2,250 for each blood-cleansing session, or about P6,750 a week, presently being subsidized by Philhealth for a maximum of 90 sessions per year.

A three session per week, however, the boy has to have 156 treatments a year, or 66 more than the Philhealth allocation. The support is also whittled down each time the patient is hospitalized, equivalent to one per day of confinement.

A native of  Hungduan, Ifugao, Rita lost her husband, Majesty, in July 2009, make her the sole breadwinner as a farmhand.

Humphrey’s case was diagnosed last April after he was brought to the Baguio General Hospital and  Medical Center complaining of weakness and dizziness.

“His mother cannot sustain his thrice-a-week hemodialysis due to her irregular source of income,” social worker Charity Mabini noted in a report she made on the medical case.

People who can and want to help may ring up the patient’s cellphone number – 09500413043.