12-year-old with birth defect needs money for surgery

RELOX

Lenard Relox was born 12 years ago with an imperforate anus, a birth defect where the opening to the anus is either blocked or missing.

Studies show that the condition affects one in every 5,000 births although it is more prevalent in boys than girls.

“We noticed that he was not discharging any waste three days after his birth. His tummy was also getting bigger. It was then that we discovered his condition,”

Lenard’s father Arman told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The baby immediately underwent a colostomy (creation of an artificial anus) at Philippine Children’s Medical Center.

Only recently, doctors recommended the reversal of the operation to allow the boy to live normally. The procedure will cost P25,000, including fees for laboratory tests.

At present, Arman is the only breadwinner in the family. He earns P120 a day by selling newspapers.

“When my son asked me when he would be operated on, I told him to just pray … It is our family’s ultimate wish this Christmas,” Arman said. He can be reached at 0930-9109443.

Donations can be deposited into his BPI Family Savings Bank account (Arman Relox, account number 6386133415). Santiago R. Alcantara