Matt Steven Cereño, diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia | Contributed Photo
A four-year-old boy from Brgy. Langub, Asturias, Cebu is sincerely calling for urgent financial help to boost his ongoing fight against cancer.
Matt Steven Cereño was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on May 8, 2022. His signs and symptoms started when he experienced recurring fever, weight loss, increased abdominal size, and unusual paleness two months before his diagnosis. His parents brought him for a check-up at a clinic in their hometown. A complete blood count showed counts not in the normal range. His ultrasound result also revealed splenomegaly, an enlarged spleen. Because of these frightening manifestations, they were then referred to a specialist in Cebu City for further interventions and care. Bone marrow aspiration was performed and the results indicated that Matt has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a type of cancer of the blood in which the bone marrow produces an abnormally high number of immature lymphocytes causing its build-up and decreasing the other healthy blood cells. This weakening disease also commonly affects children. Yet, there is a high chance of a cure for children who are treated promptly with intensive chemotherapy.
Matt’s chemotherapy began on August 8, 2022. His attending physician prescribed a treatment protocol that they will follow for the next three to four years in order to achieve thorough healing. Indeed, Matt’s treatment comes at a high cost for their family. At the moment, he is on induction which is the first phase of his treatment. His monthly chemotherapy sessions are very expensive. His regular laboratory workups, medications, and other medical procedures comprise their expenditures. Considering all these, his medical needs range from P30,000 to P50,000 every month.
Matt is a sweet and resilient boy as described by his mother. He likes to play with toy cars and loves to write in his notebook. As a young boy, he longs to be a doctor someday. As the second of the three siblings, his family treasures him dearly. When asked about her wish for Matt, his mother said, “I wish that one day he will be cancer-free.” His father works as an on-call welder with at least P2,000 income every week. His mother, a housewife, takes good care of the family. The COVID-19 pandemic and the high cost of living nowadays had doubled the financial troubles that they are going through. In addition, Matt’s continuing chemotherapy had already emptied their family’s meager savings. Truly, they are in dire need of help. Hence, his parents are heartily pleading for financial assistance from generous individuals in order to save the life of their beloved child.
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.