Mother of five needs Samaritans for dialysis

By Ramon Dacawi

Nancy Bugnay, a 43-year old mother of five from Pongayan, Kapangan, Benguet, is one urgent reason why there should be Samaritans out there.

Separated from her husband since March, 2008 due to a misunderstanding, Nancy now depends on the pay of her two sons – Edward and Efren – to sustain her thrice-a-week hemodialysis treatment for kidney failure.

Here two sons earn between P3,800 to P4,000 each every 15 days as bakers at  Valley Bread in La Trinidad, Benguet, barely enough for their own daily needs. Yet Nancy needs at least P6,600 weekly to maintain her dialysis treatment set every 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

So her son Edward sought the help of the municipal social welfare office of Kapangan,.Benguet which issued a social case study report and an endorsement  from town mayor Roberto Canuto asking institutions and individuals to reach out to the family.

“She has used up her 45 treatment sessions, courtesy of Philhealth, and we have no choice but to make a public appeal through the local media outlets,” Edward said.

Nancy began hemodialysis treatment last March 14 after her kidneys failed due to diabetes mellitus.

The signs came last December when she felt very weak and her vision turned blurred. 

Those who can offer support may contact Edward’s cellphone number – 09983942768.

They may visit Nancy during her four-hour blood-cleansing sessions at the BGHMC here. To be near the dialysis machines, she was forced to rent in a boarding house at Buyagan, La Trinidad,Benguet.

As Samaritans did for Janice Bobila, a 26-year old who survived brain tumor but now survives on twice-a-week hemodialysis treatment, also at the BGHMC, for kidney failure arising out of diabetes.

Her mother, widow Jovita (nee Fiao-ilan), a 42-year old laundrywoman said she is indebted to  a young businessman along Session Road, Baguio city who donated P2,200, good for one treatment session.

“There’s also this woman, about 25-years old who met me in a department store in La Trinidad and handed me P5,000,” Jovita said. “She declined to identify herself and just said she is from Pico, La Trinidad.”

Early last Sunday afternoon, two siblings appeared at her house at Cruz, La Trinidad and gave P5,000 for Janice’s dialysis treatment.

“They said they were students and decided to forego with a birthday celebration of one of them and donate the amount for the party,” Jovita recalled. “They gave their names as Norlyn and Ray Dean, both surnamed Junio/ God bless them, whoever they are.”

 Other donors may ring up Janice’s cellphone – 09301224699.