Sofia Maxene Ereve
Sofia Maxene Ereve was barely a year old in May 2014 when she was diagnosed with germ cell tumor stage 4 in the sacrococcygeal area (the part where the base of the spine by the tailbone is located).
“The tumor grew in her anal region. She would have frequent bouts of fever that would not go away,” said her mother, Michelle.
She and her husband, Calvin, decided that it was time to see a specialist when Sofia did not urinate or move her bowels for one whole day.
Michelle said they went to two hospitals in Taytay, Rizal, but doctors only referred them to Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) in Quezon City.
“Doctors at PCMC told us that the tumor had spread to my daughter’s lungs,” she told the Inquirer. There were also nodules found in Sofia’s stomach that were taken out through surgery.
Michelle said her baby underwent chemotherapy for two and a half years to shrink the tumor in her tailbone.
With the tumor’s growth stunted at the moment, doctors continue monitoring the growth in Sofia’s lungs. To do this, she needs to undergo a series of laboratory tests which will cost P22,000.
These include a CT scan, Lactate dehydrogenase test, tumor markings and a bone scan. The first three tests will be done at PCMC while the bone scan will be carried out at National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
“As a parent, I will do everything to save her, including appealing to your readers. We keep holding on because nothing is impossible if we have faith,” Michelle said.
She can be reached at 0927-6386995. Donations for Sofia’s tests can be deposited into her LandBank account (Michelle C. Ereve, account number 3116-0709-35).