Province shoulders 9-year-old cancer patient's operation

CEBU, Philippines - A little girl, who was suffering from a Stage 1A ovarian cancer at a young age of nine, successfully underwent surgical operation last Friday.

Yesterday at the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia visited the girl (Rhena Mae Tuling), who hails from Malingin, Bogo City, after the girl requested to see the governor in person and thank her for shouldering the expensive operation expenses at the hospital.

Reynante Tuling, the girl’s father, said that if not for the provincial government’s help, his eldest daughter might die because they really had no money to fund her operation.

“Giingnan man mi sa doctor na dalion na ang operasyon, dili na du-gay-dugayon kay delikado na,” he said.

Last week, they went to the Integrated Provincial Health Office at the Provincial Capitol to seek medical assistance.

IPHO chief, Dr. Cristina Giango, referred them to the Provincial Social Welfare Office which assisted the girl.

The girl was hospitalized last Wednesday and underwent the operation two days later.

Yesterday, while still recuperating at the hospital accompanied by her parents, the girl mumbled words of thanks to Garcia.

Reynante said physicians took out a 20-centimeter long cyst from his daughter’s ovary.

The girl, a grade 4 pupil of Bung-aw Elementary School in Bogo City, has stopped schooling since three months ago because of her ailment.

Her parents noticed her belly bulging and brought her to the doctor for a check-up. There they learned that she had a cyst.

Reynante said the cyst was growing fast because it was still 12 centimeters long when she was hospitalized.

The Tuling family thanked the governor for extending assistance to them. Reynante works as a driver to feed his family. They have three daughters, including the cancer patient. Dr. Belinda Pañares, the chief ob-gyne of VSMMC, said it is lucky that they were able to treat the girl at an early stage of the cancer.

They are now just waiting for the biopsy result which is expected to be released within the week.

Dr. Gerardo Aquino, the chief of VSMMC, when asked for the cost of the operation which will be refunded by the provincial government, said they have not yet accounted it because they prioritized the girl’s situation. (FREEMAN)