Retired teacher battling leukemia

AQUINO

RETIRED high school teacher Tita Aquino is back in the hospital more than a year after she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.

As AML is characterized by the overproduction of white blood cells which crowd the bone marrow, preventing it from making normal blood cells, Aquino needs a transfusion of red blood cells.

The 64-year-old Aquino who is single first sought treatment at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City in September 2014. She said that back in 2013, she was all set to enjoy retirement after teaching social studies for more than 30 years in Panganiban town, Catanduanes province.

It never occurred to her that all her lump-sum benefits would be used up for her treatment for AML, her expenses totaling P200,000 for induction (first chemotherapy) alone.

“I am here again in the hospital and asking for help from my former donors, my students, my town mates and all kindhearted readers. I am also praying that this treatment won’t be as expensive as the last one,” she said, adding that her laboratory, X-ray and bone marrow biopsy expenses would cost her P48,000.

Tita Aquino can be reached at 0919-2898842. Deposits can be made through her BDO bank account (#006030124586).