Angela “Angel” Erica Ledda
Seven-year-old Angela “Angel” Erica Ledda has a new goal. From a chef, she now wants to be a doctor when she grows up because she wants to help “all the children who are sick.”
“I think it’s also because she has gotten closer to the doctors who have been treating her,” her mother, Analyn, told the Inquirer.
Angel has been undergoing chemotherapy at Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) in Quezon City since January 2021 after she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Her first symptoms were a recurring fever, weight loss and a lack of appetite. Her doctor initially suspected dengue due to Angel’s low platelet levels until a bone marrow test confirmed that she was suffering from ALL.
At that time, Analyn said she was in denial because her daughter was too young. “It was hard to take. I was thinking it should have been me instead,” she added.
Angel is now on the fifth cycle of the maintenance phase of her chemotherapy, with seven more to go. Each cycle costs P16,630.10. Together with her mother, she goes to PCMC every two months to undergo treatment.
Fortunately, she has been responding well to chemotherapy. She is scheduled to undergo another bone marrow test on March 23, which will show the presence or absence of cancer cells in her body. The test, which she is required to go through twice a year, will cost around P10,000.
Analyn’s fervent wish is for her daughter to be declared cancer-free after completing a 3-year-long chemotherapy treatment protocol by September 2024. “I pray that she graduates from treatment. After that, if the cancer is gone, there will be a five-year monitoring phase and during that time, she will undergo check-ups only twice a year,” she said.
Angel is currently in Grade 1. Those who want to help her can deposit their donations in Analyn Ledda’s bank account with CTBC Bank Philippines Corp. (account no. 017020013896). Analyn can be reached at 0929-7530380.