Khobie Zion Matunhay, diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma | Contributed Photo
A four-year-old boy from Brgy. Tapul, Talisay City, Cebu is in desperate need of urgent financial help to sustain his medical treatment against cancer.
Khobie Zion Matunhay was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on December 23, 2022. At three years old, he already manifested signs of abdominal discomfort. This persisted and three months before his diagnosis, he experienced recurring fever, joint pains, unusual paleness, and weight loss. He also had difficulty in walking and swollen lymph nodes in his groin. His parents were alarmed and brought him to the doctor for checkup. Antibiotics were prescribed but to no avail. Then, a series of laboratory and diagnostic tests were performed like ultrasound, CT scan, fine needle aspiration biopsy, and bone marrow aspiration. The results confirmed his diagnosis. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates from the lymphatic system. This debilitating disease is characterized by tumors that develop from lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. With the recent advances in treatment, prognosis for people with this disease has considerably improved.
Because of his life-threatening diagnosis, Khobie Zion was referred to a pediatric hematologist-oncologist for proper and prompt care. His attending physician recommended that he needs to undergo chemotherapy treatment for at least three years. On January 11, 2023, his first dose of chemotherapy was administered. At the moment, he is on induction phase which is the first part of his treatment. Indeed, treating his delicate disease requires costly medications, regular laboratory tests, and medical procedures. His family spends around P10,000 to P12,000 every week on his chemotherapy expenses.
Khobie Zion is a sweet and good-hearted boy. He likes to play with his toy cars. He also loves to sing and play drums. At his young age, he already expressed his desire to go to school and learn new things. As their only child, he is profoundly loved and treasured by his parents. When asked about her wish for Khobie Zion, his mother replied, “I always pray that he will be completely healed from his disease. It is also my wish to see him grow and be able to interact with other kids.” His father works as a credit counselor at a finance company and earns a minimum wage per day. His mother is a housewife who takes good care of them. Their family is truly hard-pressed financially as his father’s income is barely enough to cover all their monthly expenses. Adding to their financial woes is Khobie Zion’s ongoing treatment with sky-high expenses. For this reason, their family’s financial resources are already depleted and they have nowhere to turn to. They are genuinely in need of help. Hence, in order to save Khobie Zion’s life and sustain his treatment, his parents are sincerely appealing for financial assistance from generous individuals who are willing 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.