Cancerous tumor leaves 8-year-old boy blind in left eye

MANILA, Philippines — Despite undergoing surgery and 54 sessions of chemotherapy since August 2015, the tumor below Neil Jacob Cadavido’s left eye has not disappeared.

Cadavido, who is 8 years old, has rhabdomyosarcoma or cancer of the soft tissues. The tumor has left him partially blind, according to his mother, Maricris Castrodes.

She said that in January, her son started undergoing more rounds of chemotherapy, on top of maintenance medication, upon the recommendation of doctors at Philippine Children’s Medical Center. Each of the 52 chemo sessions which will be done every 21 days costs P10,000.

“Unfortunately, in the days that followed, Neil started losing a lot of weight and doctors noticed it, too. They allowed him to go home in March to Anda, Bohol, to visit his siblings who are staying in my parents’ house. He said he missed them,” Castrodes told the Inquirer.

Stranded in the province after the government placed Metro Manila on lockdown, she and her son finally returned to Quezon City on June 4.

“The lockdown delayed the arrival of medicines sent by my husband to Neil in April and May but he was able to survive these difficult times and we have so much to thank God for. He is supposed to begin taking his medications this week for the month of July but we have no money left,” Castrodes said.

She can be reached at 0909-2107752. Donations can be deposited in her husband’s BPI account (Leopoldo L. Cadavido, account no. 4549-2832-98). INQ