This woman from Quezon City was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 but she faced the biggest challenge in her life with so much hope and determination.
“Mahirap din talaga, pero kumapit ako kay Lord nung time na ‘yun. Sabi ko nga, ‘Lord, kahit hanggang Pasko lang sana.’ Pero ‘yun po, thanks God talaga na lumagpas na ko ng isang taon,” 31-year-old Ma. Cristina Lata-Beniza told The Philippine STAR.
“‘Yung sa physical appearance ko, tinanggap ko na lang din kasi sabi ko, eto na ‘to eh. Parang part na ‘to ng journey ko eh, ng battle ko sa cancer. Talagang ‘yung health natin is really important, kaya nga po sabi health is wealth. Talagang labanan natin kasi maliit lang ‘yan na C, we have a big C which is Jesus Christ,” she added.
Cristina said that she first felt the symptoms in March 2023. She then went to see a doctor and undergone an MRI or magnetic resonance imaging.
“Noong January [2023] nagpunta pa ko [ng] Indonesia. Tapos February, Taiwan. So, wala talaga akong nararamdaman na kahit ano. Tapos nung March, nahihilo na ko. ‘Yung kalahati ng body ko is namamanhid siya. Akala namin, pareho sa papa ko na na-stroke,” she recalled.
“May nakitang four centimeters na bukol. After 24 hours sinabi na tumor siya. So, hindi pa alam kung cancerous or hindi. Kinailangan kong mag-undergo ng biopsy. Unang choice ay kukuha sa brain ko ng sample. But thankfully, dito may nakapang parang lymph node so, eto lang ‘yung kinuhanan,” she added.
On April 28, 2023, it was confirmed that she has stage 4 lung cancer metastasis to brain.
“‘Yung anak ko po that time is ten years old. ‘Yung asawa ko, siya ‘yung talagang nahirapan na parang bakit daw nangyari sa’kin ‘yun. Pero sabi ko ano, basta kung ano ‘yung plan ni Lord sa’tin, ‘yun na lang, tanggapin natin. Kasi may plano naman siya para sa’tin eh,” Cristina said.
She immediately started undergoing radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy in May 2023. Cristina recalled how hard it was to find the perfect hospital for her treatment.
“Nag-try kaming pumunta sa public hospital pero sobrang tagal. Sabi ng doctor, ‘Baka mamaya mamatay ka na bago ka ma-treat.’ Parang one month pa ‘yung schedule. So, pumunta kaming UST kahit medyo may kamahalan. Doon ako na-treat agad, na-schedule ako sa radio. Kasi meron pong isang malaki tas may mga maliliit [na tumor],” she noted.
Aside from the expensive cost of her treatments, the side effects of the medications tested her body and mind.
Sharing, “Every after chemo po kasi ang talagang side effect, wala kang ganang kumain tapos nanghihina. ‘Yung isa po sa pinapainom sa akin is steroids po. ‘Yun talaga ‘yung nagpalobo ng mukha ko, tapos ‘yan po ‘yung mga stretch marks. ‘Pag prolonged use po kasi ng steroids hindi po maganda ‘yung effect. Kailangan po ‘yung steroids for my brain para po gumagana pa rin siya kahit may tumor.”
“May mga times na parang sabi ko, ‘Parang ayoko na.’ Kasi ang laki ng gastos namin. Hirap na ‘yung family ko.Ayoko na mahihirapan sila, so, ako po talaga nagwo-work hard ako sa sarili ko. Amazing kay God kasi He always provides for me. Sa lahat ng therapy ko, kahit na hindi ko ma-imagine na magkakaroon ako ng ganung pera,” she added.
Cristina expressed gratitude to her husband, Joe, for taking care of her while on her way to recovery.
“‘Pag uwi ko dito sa bahay, bedridden po ako. Talagang mahina po kasi mababa ‘yung immune system namin. So, thankfully andyan po ‘yung asawa ko. Kahit paliligo hindi ko pa kaya. Tapos ‘yung asawa ko nagpapaligo sa’kin, nagpapakain, talagang lahat siya,” she said.
She continues to intake medicines and undergo immunotherapy.
“‘Yung tumor ko po as of now nandito pa,stable siya for the whole year. Ginigising pa rin ako ni Lord every day. Kaya tuwing umaga, ‘yun na agad ‘yung sinasabi ko na, ‘Salamat Lord sa new day.’ Every gising mo, talagang mapapasalamat ka kay Lord eh,” she noted.
