Patients raise funds for run organizers / Karateka responds to appeal for help

BENCHWARMER

Ramon Dacawi

Here’s one for Ripley’s Believe It Or Not:

In an unusual and painful twist that leaves a bitter after-taste, dialysis patients who were supposed to be the beneficiaries of a recent fun-run-for-a-cause, ended up helping raise funds for some of the organizers of the  project all the while advertised to be for the benefit of  the sick.

“This project is for the benefit of Baguio General Hospital Dialysis Center,” the organizers had proclaimed in their poster announcing their “Kalayaan Trail Run Music Festival” last June 9. As the poster showed, the would-be humanitarian project was sponsored by the city government, Project 7, Philippine Air Force, 2lst AFGR and Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Clearly, it was pronounced that the supposed humanitarian effort was for those who have to undergo dialysis for life, a tall order as their failure to sustain their blood-cleansing sessions would spell disaster and death..

In the end, to their chagrin and surprise, no proceeds from the run went to the patients who were proclaimed the beneficiaries of the gesture of kindness of the race organizers. The fund drive turned into a tear-jerker. Makapasangit.

 Thinking the proceeds., as proclaimed, would be for them,    the patients, together with their relatives and medical staff of  the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center dialysis center headed by Dr. Virginia Mangati and nurse Carmen Bumatnong, canceled their dialysis session last June 9 to be able to help run  and register as participants in the fun-run at Scout Barrio. Some registered for the run while others bought T-shirts or simply assisted in the event.

Despite the project pronouncement the effort was for them the patients were told no fund was left for them from the solicitations raised despite the pronouncement the project was for the patients. This painful plan the race organizers kept to themselves, more so as alleviation of pain and suffering were, from the start, used to draw support of the community to the project.

In a dialogue before city mayor Mauricio Domogan, the race organizers declared they realized an almost zero balance, submitting an accounting reflecting an income of P578,500 and expenses totaling P691, 794, or a deficit of P3,294.

Curiously, the financial report reflected P31,800 as having been paid for “Staff’s Salary” and P16,000 for “Talent Fee” (hosts, entertainers, etc.). It meant the patients helped raise funds for the staff instead of the other way around. The fund drive, although announced to be for the dialysis patients, was a misnomer, something the patients never knew until the end, when they were finally told by the organizers.

Other expenses, as signed and submitted by  “Kalayaan” organizers Bong Reyes, Eric Coronacion and Omeng Fallarme during the dialogue,  were broken down to: Physical set-up (Venue, Stage, Sound system, Start/Finish Arc, Barriers, etc.) – P198,500; Singlets, shirts – P122,800; Tarps, printouts (forms), Flyers, installation, Finisher’s Mugs, Medals – P80,792; Staff and Dialysis Patients’ Food (event) – P29,000; Musicians’ s Food and Drinks – P18,700;  Transportation (Shuttle Service, Freight Service, etc.) – P21,930; Beverage (giveaway to runners, in excess of the sponsored SMB: water, Coke, etc.) – P22,600.

The three reported the following cash sponsorship: St. Vincent Gym – P50,000; Porta Vaga Mall – P30,000; PV Dept. Store – P30,000; Vincent’s Place – P30,000; AXA – P50,000; Various Politicians – P40,000; Sitel – P10,000; Salonpas – P10,000; CAAA- P10,000; Motolite – P2,000; Hotel 45 – P5,000. Run Registration – P269,000; Food Vendor Rentals – P33,000; Beverage Sales – P311,500.

Despite the turn-around, of the sick helping raise funds to pay some of the race organizers and the expenses, the dialysis patients are grateful to the sponsors and supporters. Many, if not all of those who supported wanted to help and were drawn to thinking the proceeds were to go to the patients.    

The lesson is basic: There is no reason to hold a humanitarian fund drive if you end up with nothing for the would-be beneficiary. More so if you provide “salary” to the staff working on what should have been a humanitarian   effort, to enable the community to reach out to the sick, in this case dialysis patients like me. It would be calloused to advertise the effort as an effort to help the sick, yet end up raising funds for the organizers and “volunteers”.

Given this experience, it would do well for the city government to verify fund drives and ensure that the proceeds go to the beneficiaries, not the “volunteers” who, in this case, were paid for working on what could have been a humanitarian  gesture for those who suffer in our Baguio  community.

It would do well for them to review Baguio’s centennial theme in 1214: “Fostering A Culture of Caring”.

In fairness, the organizers donated dialysers which the staff of the center said are of the one-use kind, unlike the regular gadgets which patients can use for five times.  

***

 As he normally does when he can, former world karate champion Julian Chees sent cash, this time  E200 to help a teen-aged girl blow her candles and a 38-year old patient foot the bill.

Converted to P12,000, the amount was divided by Joy Ligudon who recently celebrated her 14th birthday, courtesy of Luisa’s Café along Session Rd., and 38-year old Amor Orpilla who needed cash for the repair of her fistula so she could resume her thrice-a-week dialysis.

“I read in our Baguio papers about the plight of these two girls and had Renate Doth, the secretary of our club, send the amount they needed to celebrate and settle medical bills.

Ligudon, the youngest dialysis patient at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, earlier received cash support from Chees for her life-time dialysis.

“Tell her to spend part of what I’m sending to continue her natal celebration,” Chees, a former world champion in kata (formal exercises in traditional karate), advised.

Orpilla, an orphan, also needed cash to pay for the repair of her fistula to enable her to continue her three-times-a-week hemodialysis at the Baguio General Hospital.

This was the latest support to the sick her and in the Cordillera from Chees, a former member of the German national karate team who courses his medical support back home through JC Kinderhilfe, a foundation he established for poor patients here and in Mt. Province.