Mother needs support /Baguio Californians

BENCHWARMER
Ramon S. Dacawi

BAGUIO CITY -- Almost a year after she completed her six chemotherapy sessions for breast cancer, Cristina Lagasca found she was back to square one. The disease has recurred, this time also affecting her lungs.

The 53-year old housewife and mother of three from Pacdal has to be back on chemotherapy, with the next in the series set on Sept. 27. Joy, her youngest child, is back to searching for Samaritans for this second bout.

Oncologist, Dr. Felina Masadao-Adefuin recommended “taxane-based chemotherapy every 21 days” but changed the protocol due to the family’s financial constraints.

Cristina had her initial six cycles from May to Oct. last year, following mastectomy on the right breast, coupled with radiation therapy. Dr. Adefuin said she tolerated treatment fairly well, except for the last two cycles.

She pulled through the sessions with support from individuals, some of whom refused to be identified and just coursed their donations through the barangay hall under punong barangay Godofredo Flores. To raise funds, the barangay itself initiated a musical variety at the community’s open court.

There was no evidence of recurrence, until July 15, 2009, when chest x-ray revealed “multiple pulmonary nodules in the right lower lung”.

Like ordinary Baguio families facing beleaguered by a member’s illness, the Cristina’s is at a loss on how to sustain her second bout with the dreaded ailment.

Those who would like to help may course their support through the barangay hall at the side of the Pacdal Circle , near the entrance to the St. Joseph Church .

Golfers at the Baguio Country Club may ask for Danny, Cristina’s husband who serves them as a caddy. .
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Members of the Baguio Californians, the organization of former Baguio residents now in the state, recently unveiled a span they donated for the fencing of the children’s park at the Burnham Park. A pet project of a group of residents led by Bishop Carlito Cenzon, the improvement of the park continues to draw the support of various groups and individuals.

The bishop told them there is a need to pursue development projects for children, saying they are Baguio ’s greatest resource because they are its future. Beyond Friday’s ceremonies, the Baguio Californians headed by Dinah Villanueva took time to discuss with Bishop Censon other projects the can support here.

Baguio-Californian Lou Agcaoili-Harshbarger offered to look into the possibility of installing a mini-train feature of the children’s park. As a group, the members, who came for their native city’s centennial, will figure out how to bring home two truckloads of books for the city library, youth and children that they accumulated.

On-going is the development of a portion of the Baguio Botanical Garden celebrating the sister-city ties with Vallejo , California that was forged through the Baguio Californians.

It features a miniature version of the San Francisco ’s Golden Gate Bridge to symbolize the sisterhood relations.

Villanueva, also the chair of the Vallejo Sister-Cities Commission, spearheaded preparations this time last year for the visit of Baguio officials to her adoptive city for the renewal of sisterhood ties through Rep. Mauricio Domogan and host mayor Osby Davis.

Mayor Davis recently issued a proclamation declaring the period Aug. 24-Sept. 1 as “Baguio Centennial Week” in Vallejo. With Villanueva and Harshbarger in the fence unveiling Friday were couple Pete and Velma Ferrer, Joel Aliping, Evelyn Padua-Bito, Virginia Agcaoili, Vic Agcaoili and Jess Zulueta.

Pete and Velma took time during their homecoming to visit two elementary school buildings they are building for children in two remote barangays in Naguilian., La Union. Earlier, they also funded the construction of a house under the highly successful “Gawad Kalinga” program.

While here, Aliping also took time to pay tribute to and attend the funeral of his former teacher, retired University of Baguio Science High School director Emmett Brown Asuncion. Aliping likewise set aside some amount as support to seriously ill patients here.