Mayrianne Sapphire Tagalo, diagnosed with Acute Myelocytic Leukemia | Contributed Photo
A nine-year-old girl from Brgy. Basak Pardo, Cebu City is wholeheartedly pleading for urgent financial help as she pushes on with her battle against the big C.
Mayrianne Sapphire Tagalo was diagnosed with Acute Myelocytic Leukemia on April 26, 2022. A few days prior to her diagnosis, symptoms of a disease began to appear. She has cough, colds, and low grade fever. Her right eye also began to bulge. These symptoms prompted her parents to seek for medical help. After consultation with an ophthalmologist, a cranial MRI scan was done and it showed soft tissue densities in the sinuses behind the nose. In addition to that, her parents also noticed that she was unusually pale and weak. She was admitted and then referred to a specialist later on. To determine the cause of her condition, a complete blood count was performed and it showed high white cell count with low hemoglobin and low platelet count. A bone marrow aspiration was also carried out and the results confirmed that she has Acute Myelocytic Leukemia (AML), a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. This enervating disease occurs when a bone marrow cell develops mutations in its genetic material making blood cell production out of control. Leukemic white blood cells called myeloblasts are produced excessively and they crowd out healthy cells. This type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated promptly with intensive chemotherapy.
Mayrianne Sapphire’s chemotherapy began after her diagnosis. For the purpose of achieving complete healing, a treatment protocol with six-session high-dose chemotherapy was prescribed by her attending hematologist-oncologist. Children with this type of cancer face seemingly insurmountable challenges. They experience highs and lows in their lengthy treatment. Currently, she is on induction phase of her treatment, specifically on her third chemotherapy session. Her medical expenses including laboratory workups, procedures, and hospital admissions are sky-high. The estimated cost can reach more than P70,000 every session.
“Apay,” as she is fondly called by her family, is a goodhearted and active girl. She loves to play with her friends. She likes dancing too. Because of her diligence in her studies, she is often awarded with top honors. In her tender age, she dreams to become a nurse someday. As the first of the two siblings, she is profoundly loved by her parents. When asked about her wish for Mayrianne Sapphire, her mother replied, “I hope and pray that she will recover successfully from her illness. As we press on with her treatment, we usually focus on the positive and encouraging side.” Her father works as a technical support staff and her mother as a customer service representative. Their combined monthly income is P35,000 but this amount is barely enough to address the totality of Mayrianne Sapphire’s medical needs. They said that their income is only sufficient to buy the medications for just one day. The costly treatment had immensely strained them and depleted their finances. Indeed, they are really in need of help. Thus, in order to save Mayrianne Sapphire’s life and sustain her ongoing treatment, her parents are earnestly appealing for financial assistance from kind individuals who have the heart to share their blessings.
Those who wish to donate may contact Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko Foundation Inc. – Cebu through these cellphone numbers 0945-712-6657 or 0932-443-7135. You can also deposit donations directly to Unionbank under account name Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko Foundation Inc. – Cebu and account number 00-112-000066-2. Please indicate the name of the patient on the deposit slip. Thank you very much.
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