Sunday, October 14, 2007 Kid’s support graph rises to P66,000
THE red arrow of a giant support graph for an ailing three-year girl has reached the P66,000 mark, raising hopes barangay officials of Scout Barrio would reach the P200,000 goal before the toddler’s heart surgery this coming Christmas.
The Scout Barrio Council, led by barangay chairman Ramon Corpuz, installed the black and white graph near the barangay hall to drum up support for Rheanne Derrick Briones, who was born with a hole in her heart.
Corpuz said it’s also for transparency for a community galvanized into action by the girl’s suffering, and for a public warming up to the community effort, to help her grow like a normal kid.
As of Thursday, barely three weeks since the drive was launched, the arrow tip leveled at P67,535, over one-fourth of the goal of P200,000.
“It looks like will hit the target,” Corpuz said after 35 individuals and groups responded.
Last week’s donors were led by Jonet, son of a beloved Baguio doctor and public servant. Jonet wrote a check for P10,000 after church services last Sunday, asking that he be not identified.
“Despite his request of anonymity, we still have to place his name in the list of donors,” Corpuz said.
The barangay’s friends from the Korean community delivered P6,000 while Baguio Country Club came up with P5,000.
Councilmen Roman Oliva and Candido Perez came up with P500 each while a group composed of Maricor Comeros, Gil San, Efren Garcia, Bonnie and Josie Delinila and another member whose signature was illegible added P1,000.
Others were Anafe Piedad – P20, Catalina Torcedo – P100, Heidi Pulanco – P100, Anonymous – P100, Pagulayan Family – P100, Patacsil Family – P50, Emilia Corpuz – P500, Merle Baladad – P100, and Louisa Sally – P50.
Earlier supporters included Fil-waters and John Hay Water System which gave P10,000 each and a woman now residing in Australia who is, so far, the biggest individual donor with P15,000.
While the barangay council is writing friends and organizations they belong to, members of the John Hay United Operators and Drivers Association, led by Andrew Pagasiway, are installing donation cans in their units.
Rheanne’s father Roderick, who plies the route as member of JHUODA, earlier broached the idea for the donation cans. The cans were bought using part of a P7,000 fund coursed by an anonymous Samaritan through bank vice-president Rolly de Guzman of RCBC, saying it should be for the sick.
Newsman Gani Liporada designed the sticker ran for free by a local printing press and wrapped around the donation cans.
“Things seem to be looking up for Rheanne,” Corpuz said of the growing community support to Rheanne, whose father grew up in Scout Barrio.
Rheanne’s hole in the heart has been diagnosed as VSD or ventricular septal defect, a congenital condition that would result in serious complications if not closed through surgery.
Doctors explain that the hole is in the ventricular septum, the wall dividing the left and right ventricles. Because of the defect, oxygen-rich blood in the left ventricle combines with oxygen-poor blood in the right ventricle.
The condition has slowed down the kid’s growth and makes it difficult for her to breathe and play. She was again in the hospital last Wednesday and Thursday.
Surgery normally costs P600,000 but Roderick and his wife Rhea took the long charity line at the Philippine Heart Center that reduced the couple’s counterpart to P200,000.
People who would like to support Rheanne’s fight may course their support through Bank of the Philippine Islands (Burnham Branch) in-trust-for savings account number 9693-0491-37 which the barangay council opened.
Otherwise, they may call the barangay council at (074) 442-6237 or 442-8900 or e-mail barangay secretary Babes Dofredo at babes_defredo@hotmai.com. – ramon dacawi
