Complete Healing for Madolo

”The arts are a critical component of healthcare. Expressive art is a tool to explore, develop, and practice creativity as a means to wellness.” - Wellarts Association

Hello everyone, my name is Madolo, I am a 61-year-old artist and educator from Manila, Philippines. I have been drawing, painting, crafting, and teaching about art for as long as I can remember. It has been incredibly fulfilling as I found it to be the best way for me to share my passion for art with others as a tool for healing and therapy. I am hopeful and confident that it is helping me now as well as I am going through the difficult stage of battling breast cancer.

In 1998, my vision started to blur and began deteriorating rapidly. I sought an ophthalmologist and was diagnosed as Clinically Blind due to torn retinas in both eyes. Though I could still see, the prognosis was a total loss of vision. Doctors had me undergo an MRI and see a neurologist to further look into what else was causing my migraines, vertigo, and cloudy double vision.

The initial MRI revealed a scar from a mild stroke I suffered back in 1988, but it also showed an inoperable brain tumor, about 1.10 cm in size resting directly under my brainstem. It confirmed that my deteriorating eyesight, migraines, nausea, and vertigo were caused by the tumor compressing on the involuntary systems which controlled my breathing, eyesight, and heart rate as well. The compression caused by the brain tumor meant that although the sensation of pain does not register in my brain, my body feels its intensity-- which causes my blood pressure to shoot up, and in turn compromises my heart which already suffers from Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP). I was prescribed to take medication to manage the pain but there were many adverse side effects.

In 2002-2003, while working as an illustrator for children’s books I became bedridden with Glomerulonephritis. I was given a lot of antibiotics and steroids for it, which harmed my liver. I was already on the verge of going through dialysis. We prayed for a miracle. Fortunately, in less than a month, good results came in and it seemed like my kidney had recovered. But I continued experiencing visual blackouts, nausea, migraine, and vertigo, some of which began during my childhood years and only got worse over time.

In 2005, the lymph nodes under my left armpit started swelling up from time to time, but since I felt little pain or discomfort, I did not seek medical attention for it. A small cyst appeared in between my ribs, under my left breast. I took a mammogram but it was still too small to show up. Being under a lot of stress, unable to take any medications for pain relief, my immune system became so weak that it caused the breast tumor to grow rapidly in size-- from 1cm initially to around 5cm in just a little over 2 years.

In 2010, the long-distance in my daily commute exposed me to very abrupt changes in temperatures. That, and the fatigue, led to 3 bouts of pneumonia in two years. The number of antibiotics I had to take resulted in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver disease. I was experiencing edema and bloating, but I could not take any medication for them since my body couldn't handle any more non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Recent complications I have been experiencing from this systemic sickness are palpitations, shortness of breath, and tremors. The pain from the breast tumor radiates from my chest to my arms, up to my back, leaving me very weak. As of the moment, I cannot hold onto things properly, make a fist, or perform simple tasks. I am already at 400/375 eye grade and have double-vision which hinders me from reading but I pray to heal from this as soon as possible.

Since it is my first time to come on this platform and ask for help, I am praying that this can be a good way to have a chance to continue and live a healthy life. Donating any amount to help fund my journey towards complete healing is greatly appreciated.

100% of all funds raised will go directly to funding regular medical checkups and tests to monitor my health improvements until the cancer is gone. Through your kindness, we hope to raise enough to be able to purchase the right supplements and vitamins, to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

I continue to share my drawings, paintings, while showcasing my different crafts through an online channel on YouTube, as a form of release and art therapy. Despite the limitations and hardships brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope to gather additional funding through this to pay for the medical tests, procedures, and proper nutrition as well.

You may also show support by subscribing to my little corner online: Madolo Studio Workshop on Youtube. We truly value any contribution you can give.

For direct donations, you may also send directly through:

GCash:
Maria Denisse P. - 09914118158

Bank Name: BPI
Account Name: Maria Denisse Perez
Account Number: 0689 1183 13

Bank Name: UnionBank
Account Name: Maria Denisse Perez
Account Number: 1094 2002 8850

PayPal: [email protected]

Thank you very much for taking the time to support my cause. With God’s grace and your help, I look forward to a full recovery. Praying for good health and complete healing for everyone, God Bless Us All!+