8-year-old girl with multiple illnesses needs surgery

MANILA, Phiilippines — Taking care of her 8-year-old daughter who suffers from multiple illnesses has been emotionally and mentally difficult for Marjorie Enriquez.

Fortunately, she says, there are people out there who extend a helping hand from time to time.

Before the pandemic, Enriquez had to spend P500 for commuting to a hospital in Quezon City where her child, Nikka Alexa, was being treated. Nikka has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, microcephaly (small head size) and generalized epilepsy (seizure that occurs on both sides of the brain).

Due to the lockdown, the local government of Taguig has offered free shuttle services to residents, making it possible for Enriquez to bring Nikka to her weekly physical therapy for free.

“It’s been a great help because now I can just pack our food and not worry about the fare,” she said.

Because of her condition, Nikka is being fed using a nasogastric tube (NGT) that goes through her nose down to her stomach as she consumes blenderized vegetables and rice.

But the NGT method has caused her to develop pneumonia, leading her doctor to recommend that she undergo a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy operation, where—instead of being fed through the nose—the tube would be placed directly through the abdominal wall and into the stomach.

“In that way, she can also be trained to eat through her mouth,” Enriquez said.

However, the income of her husband, who works as a sales person at a department store in Batangas province, is barely enough to pay for their daughter’s medical needs.

The operation will cost up to P61,893, not including the COVID-19 swab test being required by the hospital before admission.

To help pay for the operation, donations can be made through BDO account no. 002060732006 under the name of Nikka Alexa Enriquez. They can be contacted at tel. 0933-6231003.