No sacrifice too big for senior citizen with ailing daughter

Korina Bernardino

At her age and with her arthritic knees, Maribel Bernardino should be relaxing at home and keeping away from crowded places where she risks being exposed to COVID-19.

But a lot of times, she can be found at government agencies and politicians’ offices soliciting donations for Korina, her 29-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (stage 5) in 2016.

“The doctor has recommended that she undergo a kidney transplant but we will need around P500,000 for the operation alone,” Bernardino, 62, told the Inquirer. The family will have to find a kidney donor as well although Bernardino, who is also suffering from goiter, expressed willingness to donate one of her own to give her daughter a chance at a normal life.

“Korina has a 7-year-old daughter who is a special child. I want her to recover so that she can be a mother to her child,” she said.

Twice a week, Korina undergoes dialysis at a clinic near their house in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite. The monthly cost for the dialysis sessions totals P2,600, plus P1,656 for a dialyzer.

On top of this, they spend as much as P26,500 for her monthly medication which includes Epoetin Alfa, losartan, rosuvastatin, folic acid, ferrous sulfate, amlodipine, sevelamer, febuxostat and carvedilol.

Bernardino said that she dreams of putting up a small business to earn enough to pay for Korina’s treatment and medication. This way, she would no longer have to make the rounds of government agencies just to ask for help.

“It’s getting harder to move about because my knees hurt. One time, I almost fell from a jeep while following up Korina’s papers at Philippine General Hospital but luckily, someone caught me,” she said.

With only one breadwinner in the family—her youngest child who earns between P8,000 to P10,000 a month—money is tight. Bernardino’s husband, also a senior citizen, used to be a construction worker until age and arthritis forced him to retire. What little amount is left over after buying food and paying the bills goes to Korina’s medication.

For Bernardino, her ailing daughter will always be their priority, even if it means making sacrifices. “I always pray that God will heal her because I feel sorry for her. I hope she gets better so that she can also look after her daughter,” she said.

Bernardino can be reached at 0907-1002232. Donations for Korina can be deposited in Maribel R. Bernardino’s BPI account (account no. 2219112923). —STEPHANIE R. ASUNCION