Sunday, August 24, 2008 Dacawi: Billy Dean's "If It Hadn't Been You" By Ramon Dacawi Benchwarmer
BAGUIO musicians were belting out folk, country, pop and rock last night, in Barangay Pacdal’s covered but open multi-purpose court. The venue allowed anybody with ticket or not to come, watch and listen to what was billed as a concert for a cause.
Hastily prepared with hardly a seed fund, the show, dubbed "Hands To Hold On," had to go on. Organizers led by the Pacdal barangay council could only hope those who bought admission tickets wouldn't mind.
After all, it was for Christina Lagasca, one of their neighbors now in deep emotional and financial distress. The 53-year-old mother of three couldn't make it to the performance for her benefit. A day before the show, she was wheeled into the hospital, for her chemotherapy, her fourth in a series of six expensive treatment sessions for breast cancer.
Soon, local musicians may have to do another one, for another woman who is almost half Christina's age. Like Kristina, 27-year old Veronica Lee-Casuga just hopes she, too, could be hospital-confined soon - for her second kidney transplant.
Folksingers the likes of lawyers Bubut Olarte and Rolly Vergara took on Veronica's fight last March, going country at the Amarillo Folkden, just when she could no longer cope with the costs for her twice-a-week blood-cleansing dialysis Veronica's kidneys failed nine years ago, while she was taking up pharmacy at the St. Louis University. The eldest child of George Lee, a waiter at the Sunshine Lunch beside the Malcolm Square, she had her first kidney transplant in January, 2002, as a charity patient at the St. Luke's Medical Center.
George, whose diminutive, smiling figure was a come-on for Sunshine, died of illness before his daughter could recover. The organ donation from her maternal aunt, however, augured well. She went on to finish her course, at the sacrifice of her brothers Jimson and .Michael, who quit their classes so their mother Wella could concentrate on sustaining Veronica's continuous medication to prevent rejection of the donated kidney.
The orphaned family's sacrifice allowed Veronica to fall in love – with Joefrey Casuga, her second year classmate at the Baguio City National High School. It eventually led to her employment last November, as pharmacist at the Pines City Doctor's Hospital.
A sudden bout of amoebiasis last Christmas, however, darkened hopes for the young couple to raise a family. The illness affected her donated kidney, which doctors found to have shrunk. They diagnosed it as chronic kidney disease, stage 5, secondary to glumerulonephritis.
Over at Pacdal, Christina doesn't know how her husband Danny, who raised his family working as a caddy at the Baguio Country Club, raised the money for her fourth chemo session last Friday. Her ailment had drained her family's resources. For months now, Danny has been sidelined from the greens due to heart ailment.
But Olga, their youngest child who quit school to attend to her mother's needs, found hope in Samaritans. A man who declined to give his name delivered P5,000 at the Pacdal barangay hall. Earlier, a mother and son sent P1,000, to which a nurse in the United States, who goes by the chat room name Leah, added P3,000 for Christina's daily radiation therapy.
Olga sent a text message last Friday, saying another anonymous soul gave P5,000, aside from P3,000 from Jane Rose Teodoro and P1,000 from Florendo Dulay.
Before last New Year's Day, Veronica was back to her twice-a-week dialysis sessions at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center. Last January 30, a day before the sixth anniversary of her first kidney transplant, Veronica and Joefrey tied the knot.
She feels luckier than other patients whose relatives are reluctant to donate a kidney. Her brother Jimson would have donated his own if only he were not too young in 2002. He's now 25 and a tissue matching earlier this year showed high compatibility and that he's fit to donate.
Hope for another transplant brightened up the other week. Rep. Mauricio Domogan said St. Luke's approved to again take in Veronica for another work out with his brother and eventual organ implant.
Peewee Agustin, who drove Veronica to and from St. Luke's that first time, is again on standby to deliver her and Jimson to the medical facility. Meanwhile, Veronica has to be on dialysis, even while her doctors strongly suggested the transplant be done as soon as possible.
Samaritans may visit Veronica at their rented house at 8 Dizon Subdivision. They may ring her cellular phone number 09187073438.
Others may send their support to Christina by calling her daughter Olga at 09184524903 or course it through the Pacdal barangay office in front of the St. Joseph Church.
For them gentle souls, folk and country disc jockeys Cesar Marzan and Nick Calinao will surely spin Billy Dean's "If It Hand't Been You" on radio slots programs over DZWR-FM.
