Mother airs appeal for sick 4-year-old son

Jhed Angelo Bonita

MANILA, Philippines–Four-year-old Jhed Angelo Bonita cannot eat green leafy vegetables because any food rich in iron is not allowed for anyone suffering from beta thalassemia.

Beta thalassemia is a type of blood disorder that affects the way the body makes hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells which is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.

In people suffering from the ailment, the red blood cells are destroyed at a faster rate, leading to anemia, a condition that causes fatigue and other complications.

Glaiza Payson, mother of the young boy, said that her son’s diet was restricted to rice mixed with soup which was quite hard on him.

“He has to undergo iron-chelation, the transfusion of fresh blood, which is the only way my son can survive,” the resident of Modesta Village, Barangay Sto. Niño, San Mateo, Rizal told the Inquirer.

The procedure, however, costs P3,700 a week. In the past year, Glaiza, a single parent who is jobless, has appealed for help from several government agencies and generous individuals for her son’s medical expenses which last year amounted to P153,000.

Those who want to help Glaiza Payson can reach her at 0929-2493583.

For those who want to make a donation, her BPI bank account number is 4279099104.