We always believe that life is great no matter what. The family has no one to turn to for help, and incidentally, we met them along the way.
No. 165: Ethel P. Empalmado, 6, Hemongioma, PHC & PGH.
The child is Ethel, she’s 6, she has a progressive mass on the palm that she’s been carrying since she was born. It’s called a hemangioma, a congenital medical issue. The mass gets bigger as years go by, it has spread from the palm to her arms, and it hurts occasionally. Ethel’s case was examined by different doctors.
Despite scarcity, the parents tried to provide for the medical needs of their youngest child. The mother brought Ethel to Manila to get medical attention. They came to the Philippine Heart Center and the Philippine General Hospital. The verdict is to remove the mass from Ethel’s palm and arm but the procedure is not simple, as it may cause Ethel’s life.
The medication that was given to Ethel supposedly to help impede the progression of the mass, has been stopped (as decided by the family) as it causes the child breathing difficulty. They’ve again brought Ethel to the hospitals, but the difficult situation due to the pandemic has put them on the waiting list at the hospital. The family is now scared of Ethel’s condition, as they feel, they would lose Ethel anytime.
The father is a pedicab driver who earns an average of Php 6,000 a month. The wife does sidelines by selling anything (vegetables, rug, bottled water, peanuts) that she could sell legally. Ethel has 7 siblings she’s 2nd to the youngest. Their combined income still cannot cover all the basic needs of the family more so the medical needs of Ethel. Other relatives could not extend financial support as they are likewise economically hard-up.
The family has maximized and exhausted all the available resources however still insufficient. The family is encountering severe financial difficulties and is incapable to shoulder the medical needs of the sick child. When we visited them with the help, tears pours. Tears of joy and hope. We’ve referred Ethel to the Philippine General Hospital, and sincerely hope she will be okay soon.
The total value of assistance: Php 10,000 cash (the amount has to be mentioned for transparency purposes).
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