APAS Campaign

I am Junnah D. Mangacop, currently the chief resident of Pediatrics Department of Southern Philippines Medical Center, Philippines. I recently submitted a case report about a rare clotting disorder entitled, “Necrotizing Livedo Reticularis in a 19-month Old Male: A Case of Primary Pediatric Antiphospholipid Syndrome”, and fortunately it was accepted for presentation at the 4^TH International Congress on Controversies in Rheumatology and Autoimmunity to be held at Bologna, Italy on March 9-11, 2017.

As a pediatric resident in a government hospital of third world country, the expenses for the trip are way beyond my capacity to pay hence I am writing to ask for any assistance you can generously offer. This is definitely one of the greatest milestones of a resident-in-training.

It is an invaluable experience to encounter a very rare disease such as Antiphospholipid Syndrome, needless to mention that it is even rarer in the pediatric group. It is an autoimmune disease which affects the blood and its ability to clot. An overactive immune system produces antiphospholipid antibodies which cause the blood to clot abnormally. I believe the congress is a great avenue I can personally learn from.

After the congress, I will be glad to share information I gain to my colleagues, and hopefully assist in whatever future activities to improve the disease management. I am also hoping to inspire my fellow residents to go beyond what is expected of a good pediatric resident.