Noy to grace Esposo book launch

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will lead today the star-studded lineup of guests at the Anvil Publishing Inc. and Powerbooks launch of the book of Philippine STAR columnist and Philippine Legion of Honor awardee William Esposo.

Entitled “Surviving Chronic Kidney Disease: The Billy Esposo Kidney Diaries,” the book launch is set for 5 p.m. at Powerbooks, Greenbelt 4, Makati City.

Chronic kidney disease is now listed by the Department of Health as the 10th leading cause of Filipino mortality. Around 10,000 Filipinos are afflicted with chronic kidney disease yearly.

There are over 100 million in the world who suffer from the ailment.

Global data notes that there are 240 million diabetics in the world. Around 40 percent of diabetic cases will complicate into chronic kidney disease.

The biggest cause of chronic kidney disease, however, is hypertension and there are easily 1 billion people in the world who suffer from it.

Other than being a terminal health problem, chronic kidney disease is also one of the most costly to treat. Global data estimates that treatment of all afflicted persons could top $1 trillion a year, a cost that will strain even the health budgets of the developed countries.

The book puts together the journal of Esposo, a certified foodie diagnosed with chronic renal disease in 1999. These 94 entries of his hemodialysis

and kidney transplant experiences span a period of 28 months.

Esposo heeded the advice of his colleagues and physicians to share his kidney saga in a book.

He wrote: “The doctors felt that such a wealth of experiences from someone who actually went through 25 months of hemodialysis

treatments and now has over ten years of experience with kidney transplantation will be most helpful to new and potential sufferers of the disease. The personal experience brings in a perspective that creates empathy – a very important need of newly afflicted end-stage renal failure parents.”

W. Scott Thompson, New York Times and New Straits Times

columnist, commented: “Billy, I read your book in one sitting. Couldn’t put it down. Riveting. Hope it goes viral. Much of what you say applies to other conditions which one just might not want to face and deal with.”

Inquirer columnist Conrad de Quiros writes that the book is “written with much warmth and wit, heft and humor, this book is not just for the sick of body, it is for the well in spirit. It is sometimes funny, often courageous, and always inspiring.”

From STAR and People Asia editor Joanne Rae Ramirez: “His Kidney Diaries is the diary of man’s conquest of fear and adversity and God’s benevolence.”

Billy Esposo won a citation from the Philippine Medical Association for his articles on how to approach the Cheaper Medicine Bill. He also won the prestigious 2007 Manila

Rotary Club Best Opinion Writer Award in 2007. President Aquinoawarded him in Feb. 26, 2011 the Philippine Legion of Honor for his contributions to the restoration of democracy in 1986.