MANILA, Philippines — Broadcast journalist Doris Bigornia is in need of another operation after her open-heart/heart bypass surgery last February 25.
Her daughter, Nicole, put up a crowd-funding page on GoGetFunding.com (https://gogetfunding.com/fundingdoris/) and named the page #FundingDoris.
"While we are extremely grateful to those who have helped since mommy’s admission, after having been in the hospital for more than a month (and counting); it is, unfortunately, not enough," wrote Nicole.
The page noted that it is targeting to collect P1.5 million donations.
"We are knocking on everyone's kind and generous hearts to help us in raising funds for mommy’s hospitalization. As a single mom, juggling her career and family, we are thankful that mommy has been able to provide for the family on her own. But our family of three simply cannot make ends meet – hospitalization especially in this time of the pandemic, is financially exhausting," she continued.
Nicole recalled how her mother, who has been a reporter for more than three decades, was rushed to the hospital on February 22 after suffering from heart attack.
Related: Doris Bigornia to undergo open-heart surgery
She wrote an update on her mother's medical condition.
"Fortunately, her open-heart/heart bypass surgery last February 25 was a success. She has been transferred from the intenstive care unit (ICU) to the cardiac telemetry of the hospital where she is continuously monitored, and undergoing recovery and cardiac rehab. She has expressed pain due to the pigtail catheters on both sides which have been inserted since she was rushed to the emergency room or ER (she initially had a liter of fluid on each of the lung area). This has led to difficulty in breathing and a hindrance to her physical therapy (PT) and cardiac rehab," she wrote.
Doris was also diagnosed as diabetic and is currently taking insulin. She also undergoes dialysis every other day.
"As of March 23 and after discussion with the doctors, she will need a pacemaker to control and regulate her heartbeat. Therefore, she will undergo another operation for it," Nicole wrote.
She then appealed to the public for any financial assistance for her mother's upcoming operation.
"We never would have thought that we would be in this situation; more so, helpless and humble in asking for everyone's help financially. We would also like to thank everyone who has been continuously praying for mommy and to those who have helped in their own way," she wrote.
She ended her letter with an address to her mother who she said is their family's "source of strength and hope."
Nicole signed the letter with her full name, Nicole Marie B. Sungalon, and included her bank details because her PayPal account is encountering technical difficulties.