MALONZO
After undergoing chemotherapy for a year, Jharrel Jay Malonzo thought he had beaten acute lymphoblastic leukemia (AML). The 4-year-old boy’s doctors, however, had some bad news for him recently: His cancer had recurred.
“We’re back to square one. Due to the relapse, we’re going to have to start treatment again,” his father, Jave, told the Inquirer.
The former bank security guard from Candijay in Bohol province stopped reporting for work for one year to give his full attention to his ailing son who was diagnosed with AML in 2013. Jave has since remained jobless.
Father and son are staying with his wife’s aunt in Sta. Ana, Manila, to be near the Philippine General Hospital where Jharrel is seeking treatment.
Jave said they learned about the recurrence of his son’s ailment after he came down with his previous symptoms: fever, nosebleed, contusions and swollen lymph nodes.
According to him, he has talked to his son about his condition. “[Jharrel] is determined to fight his ailment. Why should we not be as courageous and positive as he is? Part of his prayer is: ‘Lord, I need You for my complete healing so I can drink my favorite soda,’” Jave said.
This time, doctors have prescribed 10 cycles of chemotherapy for Jharrel at P10,341 per cycle.
Jave is appealing to Inquirer readers for help in financing his son’s treatment. He can be reached at 0942-4806230. For donations, Jave has a Metrobank account (Jave Malonzo, account #765-3-735-97368-2).