Last November, she was operated on, months after she was diagnosed with biliary cirrhosis/ atresia, a life-threatening disease in which the liver does not bile ducts.
Avery’s father, Mark John Anthony Ponce said that the liver transplant was successful. “It took us six months to raise the P3 million needed for my only child’s operation,” he told the Inquirer. A huge part of the amount came from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office while the rest was from generous donors.
The family, however, remains in Taiwan while Avery is recovering from surgery at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
In the meantime, P500,000 has been added to their hospital bill due to an unexpected development. Mark John said that a relative was all set to donate his liver but he failed to pass the criteria set by the hospital. As a result, his wife, Maria Angelica, became a last-minute replacement.
“It turned out that my wife and daughter have different blood types. An additional procedure had to be done to make up for their incompatibility,” he added.
Those who want to help Avery can call her aunt Rebecca Ibe at 0922-8504827 or e-mail her father at markjohnanthonyponce@yahoo.com. Deposits can be made through Avery Ponce’s Metrobank account (156-3-15642181-3) or in her mother’s (Maria Angelica Ponce) BPI account (4739219766).