Join us to fund Maxelle’s 1-year cancer treatment 🌟🎗️

This fundraiser is for Maxelle’s continuation treatment of Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma, Pelvic, stage 4 cancer. 🎗️

Maxelle is a loving daughter. She’s a 6 y/o kid with twice the energy of a regular one. She does what every kids normally do, eat, sleep, pray, and play. Lots and lots of play time.

Last September 2023, while Maxelle is still recovering from chicken pox, she encountered a mild pain on her lower abdomen. We initially thought that it was because of the meds she was taking for chickenpox or she was just constipated at the time. So, we went to the nearby hospital and have it checked. The doctors had her undergo X-ray and Ultrasound at first. The doctors noticed something from the tests and asked us to have her undergo CT scan. My husband jokingly said to the doctor after the scan, “So, how big is the poop?”. The doctor replied, “It’s not poop. It’s a tumor.”. That’s when it hit us. This is something serious.

After finding out that it was a tumor, we had to switch hospitals right away, since there were no available OB Pedia surgeon at that time. After switching hospitals, were asked to do another ultrasound just to make sure. Results came, indeed it was a tumor. Our daughter undergo surgery last September 18, 2023. At that time, her main surgeon is an OB-Gyne as she was first diagnosed with New Ovarian growth because they can't identify her right ovary and the pain is in her abdomen where the ovary is located. Majority of the tumor was removed including the right ovary (that time they consider the tumor that was removed as her right ovary since they couldn't identify and find her right ovary). They removed a 10cm solid tumor (If anyone of you want to see the photo, you can send me a message thru viber). Removing the remaining tumor would pose more risks since it was intact to her uterus and bladder. The doctors submitted the tumor for biopsy to identify what type of cancer it is. We waited almost 4 weeks to get the biopsy result before they can start the chemo as they need to make sure the correct diagnosis. However, waiting that long we didn't know that her cancer was so aggressive as she experience bleeding (like a menstruation) which is not normal for a 6-year-old. Due to that symptoms, she was confined immediately because of the bleeding and her abdomen seems big and hard again. 1 day after she was admitted, she started vomiting. She undergo PET/CT Scan with sedation and they already put NGT that time because she he had an obstruction already due to the 9cm metastasis tumor and her body that time is swelling due to obstruction and compression of the kidney. Her Pedia Hema-Onco told us that Maxelle is under Stage 4 already so she initiate an emergency chemotherapy with Etoposide and Carboplatin Protocol to shrink the tumor. The renal department suggested also 2 options to save her kidney, it's either they will put Nephrostomy Tube or Maxelle will be doing a dialysis. We didn't decide yet that time but in preparation just in case she needs to undergo dialysis, we approve to put her a central line on her neck part. That will be use for emergency cases only. But 2 hours before she enter the operating room, the urologist visited us and offer us if we want to do a Double J Stent placement on her kidney and still hoping she will not under go any of those 2 options offered by the renal department. However, the Double J stent is expensive and it's not available in PGH that time. That's why I want to thank Doctor Brias for lending us money and he travel from PGH to St Luke's via grab at 3AM just to buy the tube. Thank you so much! That time saved Maxelle's life. It was the best decision we made to agree on the J stent because that's the safest way for Maxelle. Though there's still restriction such as Maxelle is not allowed to swim, to jump, to ride on a bicycle, no running and not allowed to play to much. She's also taking Co-Amoxiclav every single day from the day the Double J stent was implanted on her ureter to kidney. Maxelle had her 2 cycle of chemo in Carbo+Etoposide protocol (October and November) and her hair started to fall around November. After the 2 cycle, she had a repeat scan and the pediasurgeon check and the tumor is operative already. Maxelle had her 2nd major surgery last December 5 but still there's a tumor connected in her big vein and the doctor can't remove it. But the tumor located on her bladder, large intestine, and some area of her abdomen was already removed. She stayed in the hospital for almost 3 months and she also undergo multiple blood and platelet transfusion. We had a 5 biopsy test/Immunohistochemical test for the slides and the result was consistent of Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal. This is a childhood type of cancer however it falls on her pelvic which give this type of cancer a RARE type of cancer. So her Pedia Hema-Onco shift to new Chemo Protocol which is Vincristine push, Doxorubicin, and Cyclophosphamide. She had her 1st cycle of the new protocol last December 2023. The scan also reflected a Peritoneal Carcinomatosis which give us a hard time to understand and to accept that Maxelle will only be live 11-17 months. That was the saddest news I ever received. Even her doctor cried because at that age, she's suffering from that BIG C! We're so thankful to God because he gave Maxelle courage to fight this battle. After staying in hospital for 3 months, we were able to celebrate Christmas and new year at home.

January 2024, Maxelle had a fever so we rush her to the emergency room. The schedule of her next chemo is on the 2nd week of January but we already admitted 1st week of January. After her 2nd cycle of chemo, Maxelle undergo a blood transfusion. However, she had a reaction 5 mins. from the start of blood transfusion. She had a mild heart attack, chills and high fever so the doctor immediately stop the transfusion. 2 days after the chemo Maxelle catch a flu so we were extended until the flu was gone. They also administered a platelet transfusion and after 2nd attempt, Maxelle successfully received a blood transfusion. We were discharge last week of January.

February 2024- 3rd cycle of chemo (New protocol) Vincristine push, Doxorubicin, and Cyclophosphamide. This cycle went well, no reactions, no side effects and we just stayed for almost a week only. And she had her OPD chemo after. Her next chemo cycle is scheduled on March 7 however due to high fever, low rbc count, low wbc and platelet count, Maxelle needs to readmitted again. And she's currently admitted in PGH and receiving an antibiotic and will receive another shot of chemo (vincristine only) before of her discharge.

March 3 will be her 4th cycle of Chemo.

Last week of March (between 25-29) Maxelle need to undergo a PET/Scan at Chinese General Hospital or at St. Luke's QC with sedation. It cost around 90,000 with sedation including the fee for the anesthesiologist and the reader's doctor fee.

First week of April, for readmission again for her 1st session of radiotherapy and after 48 hours she will receive her 5th cycle of chemo.

Every after 3 months, she will undergo a PET/Scan in the other hospital as PGH don't have this type of medical laboratory test.

This will be her monthly routine for the remaining 10 months:
1st Week-Radiation (5x a week)
2nd week-Chemo (Admitted)
3rd week - Chemo (OPD)
4th week rest in preparation for the next week radiation

Hi everyone,

We're reaching out to you for help in Jaine Maxelle's battle against cancer. She's 6 years old and she is courageously facing the challenges of Stage 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma, embryonal in pelvic, with a spirit that inspires everyone around her.

Jaine Maxelle is currently undergoing vital treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, that are instrumental in her journey to conquer cancer. She's super brave, and we're hopeful for her recovery.

But, the cost of all these treatments is a lot for our family. We are reaching out to you, our community, to help us raise the necessary funds to ensure Jaine Maxelle receives the care she needs to beat this Big C!

How You Can Help:

• Donate: Any amount you can give makes a big difference for Jaine Maxelle's recovery.
• Share: Tell others about our fundraiser. Your friends might be the key to reaching our goal. Sharing to facebook will cost Php 25 per share. Share it now!
• Support: Even kind words mean a lot. Share your positive thoughts with Jaine Maxelle.

Your help will directly pay for Jaine Maxelle's treatments, making things easier for our family.

Thank you for thinking about us and helping Jaine Maxelle. Your support means everything.

And to those who helped us before, thank you so much for being there since then until now. May God bless you all.

Note: We decided to admit Maxelle to PGH Payward because we noticed some issues in the Charity ward at the Cancer Institute. We saw that Maxelle might easily catch illnesses there, and it could make her healing harder. We know Maxelle can feel stressed and upset, especially when other kids cry. From our experience, this can make her more upset and affect how she feels. We don't want her to feel worse; we want her to get better quickly and be safer from other sicknesses. We also want to make sure she's taken good care of by the nurses. While she's being treated, we want her life to stay comfortable and as normal as possible.

We get some help from the government (PCSO, DSWD, Senators, Office of the Mayor, Barangay, Partylist), but it mostly comes as Guarantee Letters. We use those letters for hospital bills, but when it comes to paying the doctors, it's mostly cash. Maxelle's surgeon mode of payment is cash directly to them and not included in the billing statement. Total amount for the 2 major operation Professional fee is almost 500K just for the Professional fee. This amount is for 6 surgeon already and anestesiologist in OR. From September 2023-February 2024, we've spent about 2.5 million pesos. All of this money came from donations raised by Rachel Murphy and special thank you to Daddylo for loving and supporting Jaine Maxelle, and to all of Maxelle's family for their generous donations.We're very grateful to everyone who donated.

With lots of thanks,

Germaine Guevara
09952959297 (Telegram and Viber)
Mother of Jaine Maxelle