SILVA
THE FIRST time Loriefe Silva was told by doctors that her only son’s condition, beta thalassemia major, was one that would hound him for life, she was in total disbelief.
Beta thalassemia is a blood disorder that reduces the production of hemoglobin, the iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to cells throughout the body.
“I was telling myself it can’t be true because God is good. He won’t allow it to happen to us. But when doctors told us that we should no longer have children because they might all be infected, it opened our eyes to the reality,” Loriefe said.
Silva’s husband, Jai Silva, works as a driver for an aluminum glass company in Hagonoy, Bulacan. They got married only in 2008 although they had been living together for 12 years. Their son, 9-year-old Justin Lei Silva, was diagnosed with the ailment when he was just 2 years old.
“Doctors told us that we are carriers [of the genes that cause beta thalassemia]. So, we have to follow their orders. And while we need to keep our faith in God for our son, we also have keep our faith in each other,” she said.
Loriefe asked Inquirer readers for help in buying the bags of blood Justin would need for his next round of chelation therapy. She and her husband would spend at least P15,000 for the session.
Loriefe can be reached at 0943-2063371. Donations can be coursed through Jai P. Silva’s BPI Family Savings account (7556-6702-04).