Dad seeks help after son suffers a relapse

By Ramon Dacawi

BAGUIO CITY -- After 19 cycles of chemotherapy, cancer victim Franz Asher Flores is back to square one.

A test last Feb. 24 – the kid’s fourth birthday – revealed a relapse. It was the second setback in his protracted battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that now spans two years.

Immediately, doctors at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center prepared the stronger – and more costly – St. Jude Protocol for his treatment against the most common cancer among children.

His father, Ferdinand, a retreat coordinator at the Assumption Sabbath Place in Crystal Cave, said parents of other leukemia victims told him St. Jude is a more effective means of licking the disease.

“They also told me it cost them between P40,000 to P100,000 on the first month,” Ferdinand said last week while knocking on doors, hoping to chance upon Samaritans.

In their letter-appeal, he and wife Juvy recalled how Franz, their second of two sons, learned to walk when he was barely a year old, how he wanted to run and climb stairs.

In April, 2009, the boy suddenly could no longer stand and had to be carried to where he wanted to go. Several tests were conducted until a bone marrow extract revealed what was wrong.

Since then, Franz was on chemotherapy. After undergoing seven chemotherapy cycles, he had his first relapse in December, 2009. He bounced back on treatment course, finishing 12 cycles until that test on his fourth birthday.

“We had long been drained financially but we’re not giving up on Franz,” Ferdinand said last week. “With your prayers and support there is a big chance that he will be cured.”

Franz’s elder brother Justin Harvey,12, will graduate from St. Martin’s School at Crystal Cave this month, Their mother had long resigned as marketing officer of a batching plant to have her full attention on Franz.

Early this month, Ferdinand lined up at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in Metro-Manila and was scheduled to be interviewed at month’s end on his application for medical fund support.

Samaritans may punch Ferdinand’s cellphone number (09283774560) or Juy’s number (09182477935).