Single mom with cancer determined to live for kids

Marie Joy Vargas

MANILA, Philippines — Marie Joy Vargas, a 37-year-old single mother diagnosed with stage 3-A breast cancer, is determined to survive for the sake of her three sons.

“I do not have a husband so I need to recover for my kids. I cannot leave them alone,” she said.

She was a house helper in Maldives when she was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in 2018. Thinking she could not afford the treatment there, she quit her job and returned to the Philippines. In 2019, she underwent surgery to remove her left breast followed by chemotherapy last year.

Vargas has not seen her sons for over a year now as she was forced to leave them in the care of their grandparents in Isabela province. She herself has been staying at Child Haus in Quezon City, a temporary shelter for children suffering from cancer, to make it easier for her to seek treatment.

She undergoes radiation therapy at the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) every day. Each session costs P5,000, leaving her with no money for extra expenses such as tricycle fare so she walks almost 2 kilometers daily from Child Haus to LCP.

Recently, Vargas was advised by her doctor to suspend radiation therapy and undergo several laboratory tests consisting of a bone scan, breast ultrasound, abdominal ultrasound, transvaginal ultrasound and 2D Echo. Due to the lack of money, she has only undergone abdominal ultrasound.

Her doctor said it was important for these tests to be done as soon as possible because, during a recent checkup, small lumps were found in her left breast.

Vargas was also told to keep on taking her maintenance drugs: tamoxifen, zilongjin, sulfadiazine, glimepiride getryl and pioglitazone HCI. She needs P15,000 a month for her medications.

Since she has been jobless for the past three years, Vargas depends on her parents and relatives for financial support. But she also goes to different government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development and mayors’ offices to ask for donations for her medical expenses. At present, Child Haus can provide her only shelter and vitamins.

With COVID-19 cases rising in Metro Manila, Vargas has returned to Isabela province to have her laboratory tests there. She added that seeing her children would help her prepare for another round of treatment to be prescribed by her doctor once she completes her tests and gets the results.

Those who want to help Varas can send their donations to her Metrobank account: 1353-1353-0823-5. She can be contacted at tel. 0955-5807147.