Ailing girl needs help

A three-month-old girl born with a rare ailment needs your help.

Euanne Dones, who was born last July 20 in Los Baños, Laguna, is now at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) where she recently underwent surgery for mobius syndrome, a rare congenital disorder affecting the breathing and swallowing pathways.

Eugene Labadan, the girl’s grandfather, said the surgical operation on Euanne has left him with some P240,000 in debt. However, he still needs more for Euanne to be released from the hospital.

A long-time employee of Philippine Airlines, Labadan has received help from his co-workers and the PAL Employees Loan and Savings Association. But he said the P240,000 loan he got and the P180,000 donated to him were only able to pay for the expenses incurred at two hospitals where Euanne was first admitted.

Euanne is Labadan’s first grandchild from his 19-year-old son, Eugene Jr., who is still studying. The girl’s mother, who is only 21, is also in college.

"We are now deep in debt, with practically everything on my paycheck going to the care and treatment of my granddaughter. We are now pleading, begging for anybody’s help. Any financial assistance will help," Labadan said.

Assistance for Euanne can be coursed through The Philippine STAR.