Kind hearts and gentle people: Christmas stories from the heart

The plucky Grade 1 pupil with his mother, Kyla Riza Geronimo, after he was given first honor awards during Recognition Day at Dr. Celedonio Salvador Elementary School in Paco, Manila. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

In this season of sharing, donors who have responded generously to the Metro section’s calls for medical assistance in its tiny but widely popular public service corner deserve more than a thank you.

These little stories, chosen from many which came our way, show how acts of  faith, love and charity—and the power of print—can reach those who don’t even think twice before digging into their pockets or bringing out their wallets. Most of our donors, however, prefer to remain anonymous.

A very recent caller whose excitement, she said, she could hardly contain because it was “the best Christmas gift I ever received,” was Marissa Evalora, mother of Dave Matthew Lopez, a biliary cirrhosis patient.

“Sen. Tito Sotto donated P100,000 through Susan, his secretary,” Evalora said when she called up the Inquirer on Dec. 13, the day Lopez’s story came out in the Metro page.

Evalora said that apart from the senator’s donation, Sherwin Lao sent P25,000 and P10,000 came  from two anonymous donors. Although she still has a long way to go (she has to raise P3 million for her baby’s liver transplant operation, probably in Taiwan), Evalora cannot believe the response she got from kindhearted donors.

The most expressive thanks  came from open-heart surgery patient Lorenza Donadillo whose medical assistance story was published on Nov. 22.

The former overseas Filipino worker who spent two weeks only in Dubai but was sent back because of heart problems, needed P300,000 for her operation.

“I didn’t know what to feel. I kept asking myself: ‘Am I that special?’” Donadillo said, referring to the P100,000 she received from Maria Luz Caliwag.

Donadillo said that the next time she and Caliwag, a shipping line forwarder for Singapore Airlines, met at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), she felt good about her.

“‘I have no reason to help you. I just want to help,’” Caliwag told her.

Donadillo said Caliwag even bargained with the PGH doctors to lower the cost of her operation scheduled on Dec. 19. “I’ll call again after the operation,” Donadillo promised, adding that William Alain of BMX also donated P50,000.

In July last year, Ronald Ryan Santiago, whose wife Rhoda gave birth prematurely to a girl, Reemah Keisha, at Silang Doctors Hospital, in Silang, Cavite province, received a P50,000 donation from a popular actress married to a politician, who declined to be identified.

50/50 chance

The baby, who had contracted pneumonia and had a 50/50 chance of survival, was transferred to Tagaytay City Medical Center, a private hospital. At the facility, their bills ballooned to P150,000.

“How did you know the money came from the actress?” we asked Ronald. “Her aide told us,” he said, adding that he would be leaving for abroad to work to keep his promise to the hospital to pay the balance “no matter what.”

Keisha’s case was similar to that of Eleonor Escarpe’s baby, John Aron Angeles, whose biggest donor was the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona and his undersecretary, Teodoro Herbosa, were instrumental for the release on Nov. 25 of baby John from a hospital in Laguna province, with the mother leaving a promissory note to pay the balance of P650,000.

While we don’t actively encourage repeaters because there are many other  patients waiting in line, there were at least four patients—Ramon Geromo, Arvie Nery, Jonel Gabotero and Jamie Anne Contreras—

whom we have not resisted giving a second, and even a third chance.

Contreras’ grandmother, Josefina Cartas, has in fact submitted requirements for a third heart operation for her  granddaughter whose parents had abandoned the child, saying they didn’t want to waste the opportunity of  looking for a cure.

“Jamie Anne is an honor student. She has a bright future ahead of her and I don’t want to see her go just because we have no money for the operation,” said the grandmother from Sta. Rosa, Laguna province.

Jamie, a second grader wrote a heartfelt thank you letter to the Inquirer in April.

“I can only repay you with prayers,” she wrote in Filipino. “All of you who have helped me are my inspiration so that when I grow up I can also help others. But there is one operation that I still need to undergo.” With the letter was Cartas’ bank account number at Bank of the Philippine Islands (8519-2211-53) and cell no: 0921-2143272.

In October, 7-year-old Keanu Geronimo, who has myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disease, also sent Metro a thank-you card.

“Thank you for putting me in the newspaper. Thanks, too, to  your readers who gave us money for my hospitalization. Please don’t get tired of helping me,” said Keanu.

Some patients who were not as lucky were Bryan Cachuela, Sandy Taperla and Glaiza Bayson. Bayson’s wardmate at the PGH called to inform us that the money her mother Rosalie received from donors was used for the burial of her child.

One experience this section would rather forget was one about a patient who complained about having his picture and bank account given to us, making it  appear that he was asking for money and sympathy.

Option

For making us one of his options in seeking assistance, we can only thank him in the same the way we express our gratitude to those who never get tired of giving.

According to Mother Teresa, the beatified Indian nun  now known as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, “intense love does not measure, it just gives.”

And what better way to show our love for Him “who loves a cheerful giver” in this season of good tidings and good will.