Sean Quitara
When Sean Quitara was born 10 years ago, doctors failed to detect an abnormally high level of bilirubin in his blood. As a result, he suffers from many ailments, including quadriplegic cerebral palsy and congenital cataract. His delayed physical development has also left him unable to walk and talk.
Bilirubin is a brownish yellow substance found in bile. It is produced when the liver breaks down old red blood cells. High levels of bilirubin in a newborn can lead to many serious problems, according to experts.
Sean’s mother, Elvira, said one of the factors which contributed to her son’s condition was the incompatibility of her blood with that of her husband. The couple live in San Mateo, Rizal province.
“Doctors told me that had his Type B blood been replaced by my Type O within 24 hours after I gave birth, he could have been healthier and normal,” she told the Inquirer, adding that the hospital in Marikina City where she delivered him was not equipped to perform the procedure.
Elvira asks readers to help her son who is turning 11 on Aug. 9. He needs to undergo a procedure at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City for the insertion of a feeding tube. Since Sean is listed as a social service patient, he will be charged just P15,000. Also, his legs have to be injected with two vials of botox (costing P31,751 each) every three months to soften the muscles in preparation for therapy. He also needs to undergo an operation to remove the cataract in his left eye. For this, his family needs P18,000.
Elvira Quitara can be reached at 0907-8221524. For donations, she has a BPI Family Saving Bank account (#589561-5846-3234-02).–Santiago R. Alcantara