Colon cancer patient needs money for chemo

Rea Alcantara

A month after Rea Alcantara was operated on due to complications from “acute appendicitis,” she was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer.

Her husband, Horacio, was scheduled to come home next month when his contract in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as an oil tanker driver, was supposed to end. But when he learned about his wife’s illness, he decided to extend his work contract to let him pay off the debt he incurred for his wife’s operation.

“His purpose for leaving abroad was to provide for our daily needs and the educational expenses of our children. What happened to me was quite unexpected,” Alcantara said.

Doctors at East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City told her that her condition could improve if she immediately undergoes eight sessions of chemotherapy. The financial burden, however, would be too much for her husband who is still paying for her operation.

Alcantara is asking for help from Inquirer readers because she will need a total of P256,000 for her chemotherapy. Each session costs P32,000.

She can be reached at 0915-3953567. Deposits can be coursed through the BDO account of Monica A. Ramiro, her sister-in-law, with account number 000390367486.