8 dialysis patients appeal for help

By Ramon Dacawi

BAGUIO CITY -- Their hopes for fund support dashed by the bungling of the recent “Kalayaan Run” by the race organizers, eight dialysis patients have appealed for financial help to repair their defective fistulas needed for their two- to four-times-a-week healing sessions which they have to undergo for a life-time. .

Milagros Lacdao, president of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Dialysis and Patients Association, said the group was left with no choice but air the patients’ appeal for help, so Samaritans out there can course their support directly to the association or to the individual patients.

Youngest among them is Ortega Landocan, a 13-year old boy from Gold Creek, Ucab, Itogon, Benguet who needs fund support for his twice-a-week hemodialysis at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.  

Among those needing support is Roel Lagasca Cruzz, a 30-year old dialysis patient who recently had to undergo repair of his damaged fistula to enable him to continue his thrice-a-week dialysis for life.

Fistulas are combined vein-artery accesses created on the arm to allow blood to flow into a dialysis machine for cleansing before it is re-circulated in the body.

Dialysis patients can not, on their own, dispose urine as their kidneys, which are supposed to filter dirt in the blood, are no longer functional due to diabetes, urinary tract infection or high-blood pressure.

The fistula repair on Cruz costs P57,000. He signed a promissory note to settle the balance after making two initial payments.  

People who can help may contact his mother, Maribel Laguipo Cruz, at 09122988017 or visit him at No. 60 Interior Regidor St., Pacdal, Baguio City.

Also appealing for help to enable them to change their defective fistulas into grafts are Requino Todlem, Daniel Cuyepyep, Arlyn Bagyan, Florabel Rodriquez, Vladimyr Singson and Dick Dockyapeo.

Donors may also contact Lacdao at cellphone number 09497839713 or see dialysis nurse Carnen Bumatnong during weekdays.

Their hope for support from the proceeds of the “Kalayaan Fun Run” vanished when the organizers, who proclaimed the project was for the patients undergoing dialysis at the BGHMC,  declared losses but ironically allotted P31,800 as “staff’s salary”, P18,000 as talent fee”, and, among others, P21,910 for transportation and P49,672 for “operational expenses”.