For Olive and her family – Help a mother fight Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Ate Olive is my wife's older sister, a devoted home maker and a mother of two, her husband is based in Singapore where he's employed as an airline mechanic. Their family get see each other about twice a year whenever work schedule will permit. Her eldest son was just recovering from persistent tuberculosis and their youngest is still a grade school student. She's now 42, they had a full life, perhaps not in material abundance but with the bonds and love they shared along with the extended family from both sides.

It was only just recently that they made plans to acquired a small home after several years of overseas work from her husband Butch.

The excitement was dampened by recurring hospital visits due to recurring fatigue, low blood pressure with fever and chills. We initially suspected dengue fever and how we wished now that it was just that simple.

It was just over a month ago that she was rushed to Medical Center Manila along UN Avenue, where she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

It's a type of blood cancer that a rapid growth of white blood cells in the bone marrow interferes with the generation of red blood cells and it's rapidly progressing. Low red blood cells caused her Anemia and the abnormal white blood cells had no infection fighting mechanism.

The prospect is grim but not hopeless, recovery is possible but only with chemotherapy sessions and blood transfusions whenever her RBC drops dangerously low.

We as an extended family have pooled our availability in taking turns in watching her over in the hospital and in providing available funds to support her medical expenses, but it's not enough.

We appeal to friends, acquaintances and even strangers for any help, for any amount that can be gathered for her therapy and for those who resides in Cavite or Metro Manila, we will also greatly appreciate blood donors (O+), she will need them especially in the coming months.

Help a mother to get back her health, her life and to her family.