Jenica Theryze Rosaroso, diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) | Contributed Photo
A three-year-old girl from Brgy. Poblacion 1, Carcar City, Cebu is genuinely pleading for urgent financial help as she presses on with her fight against cancer.
Jenica Theryze Rosaroso was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) on November 19, 2022. Her signs and symptoms started a month prior to her diagnosis. Her manifestations included recurring fever, unusual paleness, joint pains, and difficulty walking. Her persisting condition caused her parents to seek for medical help. She was brought and admitted at a hospital in her hometown. Her complete blood count showed figures not in the normal range. Because of that, she was referred to a hospital in Cebu City for specialised care. A bone marrow aspiration was then performed and the result indicated that Jenica 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 commonly affects children. Yet, there is a high chance of cure for children who are treated promptly with intensive chemotherapy.
Jenica’s chemotherapy began on December 6, 2022. Her attending hematologist-oncologist prescribed a treatment protocol that they will follow for the next three years in order to achieve thorough healing. Presently, she is on induction phase which is the first part of her treatment. Indeed, Jenica’s chemotherapeutic regimen come at a high cost. Regular laboratory workups, chemotherapy drugs, maintenance medications, and other medical procedures comprise their expenditures. Considering all these, her chemotherapy needs range from P7,000 to P10,000 every week. Additionally, Jenica was diagnosed with a rectovaginal fistula, a connection between the rectum or anus and the vagina. This abnormal connection allows gas or stool to leak to the fistula and through the vagina. To treat this uncommon condition, her attending physicians recommended colonoscopy and surgery. Her family was requested to prepare at least P300,000 to pay for these medical procedures.
Jenica is a sweet and friendly girl. She likes to play with her toy kitchen set with friends. She also loves and appreciates the arts. As the youngest of the four siblings, her family treasures her the most. When asked about her wish for Jenica, her mother tenderly said, “I wish that she will attain complete healing. I hope that one day, she will be able to seize the opportunity to go to school and achieve her dreams in life.” Jenica’s father works a sales representative with a monthly commission-based income that ranges from P10,000 to P14,000. Her mother is a housewife who takes good care of the whole family. On her spare time, her mother also attends their family’s store for a P3,000 income every month. But since Jenica’s diagnosis, her father had stopped working and they are only relying on their family and relatives for help and support. The prevailing economic situation nowadays including high inflation had brought tremendous strain to their family’s finances. In addition to that, Jenica’s continuing chemotherapy had pressed them down financially and emptied their meager savings. Indeed, they are really in desperate need of help. Hence, her parents are fervently appealing for financial assistance from benevolent individuals in order to save the life of their precious 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.