This is Rory just a while ago enjoying the beautiful sunset view from our temporary home in Quezon City. For several minutes, she marveled at the spectacular horizon, rich and varied hues, the clouds like great wings of gold, yellow, purple, and rose color. It was a breath-taking sight she wanted to cherish. I took a snapshot of this moment because that's what stage Ates usually do.

This update is a little bit overdue. The last update I wrote was Rory's Day 1 of the stem cell transplant and this should have been Day 16. Her first cycle of chemotherapy was finished on the morning of Day 2. Complications unfortunately occurred on the afternoon of the same day. That afternoon shocked our family. I found myself in the waiting room that night fervently praying to God to save my sister. We are thankful to the medical team and especially to God for saving Rory. She was supposed to have her second cycle of the chemotherapy on the third day. The stem cell transplant should follow on the same week. The complications, however, made the doctors decide to hold-off the transplant until she is cleared.

She was discharged on 27 July . Three check-ups with her doctors were scheduled on the next week. Once she is cleared to proceed, her pre-transplant preparations will commence once again.

As Rory struggled to breathe and endure intense pain that day, she told me that she enumerated all the people (family, friends, and relatives) and the reasons why she should fight back. Some of the reasons she recalls are the simple joys- watching sunsets, learning, breathing air, eating pizza, and listening to Billy Joel's music. Having survived that day affirmed her belief that her secret weapon to winning her battle against cancer is her faith.

For now, she is regaining her strength with an even stronger resolve to win this.

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Rory was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgekin's Lymphoma last January 2016. Even after a series of chemotherapy and radiation sessions, her cancer relapsed on February 2017. She is undergoing a second set of chemotherapy sessions using a newly developed drug specialized for lymphoma. Her stem cells have already been harvested last April 2018. Our family have already exhausted our remaining resources to pay for the treatments. We have also accessed the government services available.

We are knocking on everyone's hearts to help us pray for her healing and raise funds for her stem cell transplant. The unexpected complications also incurred additional expenses that we were not able to prepare for. Should you have questions, please feel free to contact me through my mobile number 09976022120 or email [email protected].

BDO
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