Mother Donna Mae Camille Pabito from Bacolod tried selling different food items just to sustain the needs of her son who has stage 4 cancer.
“Nahihiya talaga ako kasi baka sabihin nila ginagamit ko ang bata pero hanggang sa na-realize ko na dapat hindi ako mahihiya kasi para naman ito sa anak ko. Buhay ng anak ko ang nakataya dito.Talagang hindi namin alam kung saan kami kukuha that time. Pero maraming tao na nag-help sa amin through that journey namin,” she said in an exclusive interview with The Philippine STAR.
Baby Yohan was just one year old when he was diagnosed with testicular germ cell tumor carcinoma stage 4.
According to Donna, her pregnancy was smooth and Baby Yohan’s newborn screening was also normal.
“Nung nanganak ako, okay talaga siya. Na-detect na lang namin nung time na biglang may lumaki sa testes niya, hindi balance. Nakita na mataas ‘yung tumor markers niya, bigla kaming ina-admit at pina-decide na mag-chemotherapy,” she recalled.
“Wala kaming kaalam-alam kung anong gagawin sa bata. Nakita na nag-spread na ‘yung cancer sa left kidney niya, ng liver, and may anim sa lungs. In pain siya. Kasi lumaki talaga bigla ‘yung testes niya,” she added.
Donna said they didn’t have any time to process the diagnosis and became the anchor of her son in his battle against cancer.
“Kaka-pandemic pa lang ‘yun, tapos wala pa kami mga savings. Hindi ko talaga matanggap. One month akong hindi kumakain, walang tulog. Hanggang ngayon syempre, masakit pa rin sa’kin tanggapin. Pero sinurrender na namin lahat-lahat ‘to sa Panginoon kasi hindi naman namin hawak ‘yung life ng bata. Pero lahat ginagawa namin kahit sobrang hirap.Hindi mo talaga alam kung saan ka kukuha ng panggastos araw-araw, laboratories, doktor,” she emotionally said.
Since her husband’s job in a cafe was affected during the pandemic, they thought ways to earn money—through selling food items.
“Ang ginagawa namin nag-fundraising na benta ng kung ano-ano. Mango float Nagluluto din ako ng spaghetti. Nagba-buy and sell din ako kung anong makita ko sa mga online. Then kung ano ‘yung mga damit ko, mga sapatos ko, or mga gamit namin. Lahat na halos lahat ma’am. Lahat kung anong pwede maibenta, ibinebenta namin. Para lang at least maano lang ‘yung mga needs ng bata,” said Donna.
Adding, “Kasi halos lahat,hinihingian na namin ng tulong para lang mabuhay ‘yung anak namin. Mostly, hindi talaga namin kilala. Noong second operation namin, may taong tumulong sa amin na mag-t-shirt for a cost. Mostly, mga iba, mga artista. We’re so blessed talaga.”
Baby Yohan has undergone different operations and cancer treatments. For the past four years, he has continued to fight cancer.
“Hindi namin kaya na i-give up or hindi namin kaya na mahinaan ng loob kasi sobrang lakas ng bata. Hindi ako mahinaan ng loob kasi ‘yung anak ko sobrang strong, as in sobrang strong,” she noted.
“Need ko talaga maging strong mom sa anak ko kasi alam ko na if lalaban kami at tulong-tulong kami ng anak ko, balang araw makikita talaga ng Panginoon, ‘yung healing ni Yohan. Someday kung maging normal ka at maging okay na ang life mo, ikaw naman ‘yung tutulong. Kung ano ‘yung mga needs na may mga cancer patients,” she added.
Donna also left a piece of advice to parents who are experiencing the same situation.
“Stay strong. Alam ko na hindi talaga basta-basta ‘yung sitwasyon natin. Hanggang pwede mabuhay ang bata natin, gawin natin,” she said.
To those who want to help Yohan, you can send it through:
BDO
Donna Mae Camille Pabito
001960845452
GCash
Donna Mae Camille Pabito
09307095828
