10-year-old girl with leukemia needs P20K for chemotherapy

CUARTO

Traveling from Quezon province to Manila for her weekly chemotherapy session to fight leukemia must have aggravated Bless Joy Cuarto’s health.

“Originally, she was up only for eight chemotherapy sessions. Now, it has been increased by another four,” says Eva Cuarto, mother of Bless who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2014. She has stopped attending school in Sariaya, Quezon since.

Doctors at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City told Eva that her 10-year-old daughter was hit by an airborne fungi.

“It must have come from an animal. The fungi has affected her brain, causing a debilitating headache. After a checkup, they found out she has meningitis,” the mother of four children said, Bless being the eldest. Her father Bartolome used to be a jeepney driver but he sold the vehicle to finance Bless’ treatment.

Eva said the weekly treatment had to be suspended for two months because the fungi was causing her gums to bleed.

Bless will have her fifth chemotherapy session at PCMC on Nov. 8. For the procedure, the family will need P20,000. “By God’s neverending blessings, she is surviving. I will be forever thankful for her donors for this one,” her mother told the Inquirer.

Eva Cuarto may be reached at 0922-4503108. Those who want to help Bless Joy may deposit their donations in the Metrobank account of her sister Ruth Ann Mae Cuarto (# 227-3-227-44242-6).