Aunt Gay’s Brave Battle: A Plea for Lifesaving Support and the Path to Hope

In the hidden corners of tough times, where shadows linger and pain echoes, Aunti Gay Malingin Brodith stands strong against the storm of Stage 4 breast cancer. Beyond the simple image of a housewife, she holds a story of enduring love from her caring husband, the gentle support of her two kids, and the pure joy brought by her two granddaughters. In the maze of her daily struggles, these loved ones stand by her side, lighting up the path through the darkest nights of her journey.

Aunt Gay's story of challenges started in 2018 when cancer reached her lungs, threatening to take her away. But with courage that defied the odds, she emerged victorious. The following years saw her resilience, facing battles with antibiotics, chemotherapy, and radiation – each one adding pain to the fabric of her life.

As 2023 rolled in, Aunt Gay faced a tough decision: pausing chemotherapy, a lifeline that ironically brought her closer to death after each session. The bitter truth unfolded in October as cancer spread to her spine, lumbar, bones, and brain, creating a harsh picture of her major organs marked by the disease.

In the lonely moments of her struggle, Aunt Gay's body gave way to thrombocytopenia, showing in blood-soaked vomit – a vivid portrayal of her fight against a tough opponent. Recent diagnoses, including breast carcinoma meningeal, lungs, and bone metastasis, deepen the challenges she faces.

Yet, in the midst of the storm, a glimmer of hope remains. Aunt Gay's desire to see her two-year-old granddaughter grow stands as a touching testament to her unbroken spirit. Her children, dealing with financial burdens built over five years, now seek help. The weight of debts and the high cost of daily medications, like 6,000 pesos or 108 dollars for each day of radiation therapy and 30,000 pesos or 540 dollars every 21 days for chemotherapy, threaten to dim the fragile flame of hope.

This is not just a request; it's a call for support against the harsh hand of fate. As Aunt Gay fights with every breath, her family asks for you to stand with them. Reach out to Efren M. Mendoza Jr, Jeayvie Brodith, or Joveen Brodith. Your support, a thread of compassion, has the power to light the path forward and breathe life into the broken pieces of hope. In Aunt Gay's struggle, your kindness weaves a story of comfort and redemption.

P.S. Aunt Gay is the youngest sister of my partner’s mom, making her my partner’s aunt. Despite the connection being through my partner, Aunt Gay has always made me feel like a true member of the family. She consistently includes me in special family gatherings and warmly requests my presence. She goes beyond being just a relative; she is a real aunt to me, creating a sense of belonging and warmth that goes beyond blood ties.

Update: She remains hospitalized at Chong Hua Hospital in Mandaue City, Cebu, where she has been receiving critical medical attention for the past 16 days. Her condition necessitates ongoing care, particularly addressing issues with platelet counts and other concerns. She is constantly in need of donors for platelet apheresis to manage conditions such as thrombocytocis, where there is an elevated platelet count.

This medical procedure helps to prevent complications to patient’s condition like blood clots. This process can be beneficial for cancer patients, as some forms of cancer and cancer treatments can disrupt normal blood cell production, leading to imbalances. Controlling platelet levels through apheresis contributes to maintaining a healthier blood composition for Aunt Gay.