Boy with eye cancer needs help urgently

Anthony Divinagracia, diagnosed with Retinoblastoma | Contributed Photo

A four-year-old boy from Brgy. Panoypoy, Consolacion, Cebu is sincerely appealing for urgent financial help as he presses on with his fight against cancer.

Anthony Divinagracia was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma on December 6, 2019. A month before this unexpected diagnosis, his parents started to notice a whitish discoloration on his left eye. Because of this disturbing sign, his parents brought him to a medical facility for proper medical assessment and interventions. A CT scan was performed and it confirmed his diagnosis. Retinoblastoma is a type of eye cancer that begins in the retina, the specialized light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This enfeebling disease usually develops in early childhood and is curable when it is diagnosed early and tre

ated promptly. The goal of treatment is to eradicate cancer cells through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery among others.

“Bintot,” as he is lovingly called by his parents, had to go through all these tough times in order to successfully battle this dreaded disease. Following his diagnosis, he then underwent a surgical operation that was done to remove the affected eye. Afterwards, they were referred to a specialist in Cebu City for further evaluation and management.

His first dose of chemotherapy was administered on April 25, 2020. His attending physician prescribed a treatment protocol that included 6 sessions of chemotherapy. After completing 6 sessions, another 6 sessions of chemotherapy was recommended because the tumor did not diminish in size. He finished the total of 12 sessions on February 4, 2021. He was then evaluated and another round of 3 sessions of chemotherapy was suggested. His chemotherapy is usually scheduled twice a month and the total cost of every chemotherapy session would reach over P20,000.

Unfortunately, on February 24, 2021, his complete blood count revealed decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit level. He was also weak and had episodes of vomiting. Because of that, he was hospitalized and was given blood transfusion. During that time, he had seizures and his level of consciousness was altered too. He was then rushed to the intensive care unit (ICU) for continuous monitoring and treatment. At present, he is recovering at the hospital’s ward. Additionally, his partial bill now costs over P100,000.

Indeed, “Bintot” is a strong boy. At

a young age, he is full of hope and energy. In fact, he often expresses his desire to fight cancer and be free from his illness. His mother fondly describes him as a lively boy who loves to dance. As the only child in the family, he is genuinely loved and valued.

“Bintot” and his family are in a ve

ry difficult and challenging situation right now as their financial resources are already drained. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, his father used to work as a construction worker with a minimum wage income. But currently, his father has no regular employment and tries to meet the needs of his family by being a “habal-habal” driver with at least P200 in daily income. His mother, who is a housewife, takes good care of the whole family. The costly and long duration of the treatment had exhausted them financially, physically, and emotionally. Yet despite these trying times, his mother appeals endlessly for prayers and support. “I am always hoping that Anthony will recover from his disease. We really love him and we wanted him to live,” she declared.

Hence, his parents are earnestly knocking on the hearts of generous individuals to provide financial support to help save Anthony’s life.

Those who wish to donate may contact Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko Foundation Inc. – Cebu through cellphone number 0933-194-0197 or kindly deposit donations directly to Unionbank under account name Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko and account number 00-112-000066-2. Please indicate the name of the patient in the deposit slip. Thank you very much.