Help Kenzie’s Tatay Conquer Cancer and Live Longer

Hello, my name is Kenzie Ofina and I'm 2 years old. I was sick for a while but I'm better now. Everyday, I hear Nanay and Tatay proudly telling people that I'm getting bigger and stronger! You see, I'm their not-so-little bundle of joy and everything I do makes them happy. But, you know, I get sad too, especially lately. Tatay and Nanay are always in the hospital now because Tatay has cancer. But I was always in the hospital before too and then I got better. So I know Tatay will get better also as long as the doctors continue to treat him.

But Tatay's treament is so expensive. Family and friends are helping but hospital bills are still piling because Tatay needs a lot of medicines. And machines! Last time I saw him he was in a room with a lot of machines and they're scary. I want Tatay to leave that scary room and be healthy again. I still have a lot of growing up to do, and I hope Tatay sees it. That's why I asked my Titos and Titas to write this and ask for everyone's kindness. Please help my Tatay conquer cancer and live longer.

Love, Kenzie

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My Ninang (Tatay's sister) prepared a summary of Tatay's battle with cancer. I hope these information will help you decide to help him.

• He underwent Right Radical Nephrectomy due to a right kidney mass last August 27, 2018 in Philippine General Hospital. Histopathologic findings showed Clear Cell Carcinoma with Sarcomatoid features. Pulmonary nodule was reported in PET Scan done in October of the same year and patient was started on Sunitinib (Sutent) 37.5mg once daily.

• He was admitted at Asian Hospital and Medical Center last January 2, 2019 due to Bilateral Pneumothorax with Pleural Effusion. Thoracentesis on the Right Lung and Chest Thoracotomy tubes were inserted on both lungs. Pleurodesis was also performed via Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) was done prior to discharge. Sunitinib was shifted to Afinitor 10mg tab, 1 tab once daily.

• In the interim, he had 2 hospital admissions for blood transfusions in De La Salle University-Medical Center.

• On March 2019, there was a note of enlarging lung lesion on the left, as well as the right pulmonary nodule. Afinitor was then shifted to Pazopanib 400mg tab, 2 tabs once daily. The attending physicians (comprised on Medical oncologist, Pulmonologist, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon and Interventional Radiologist) had a multidisciplinary meeting and he was referred to Radiation Oncologist for radiotherapy. 5 sessions (with daily dose of 400cgy per session) of radiotherapy was completed April 4, 2019.

• On May 2019, he was again readmitted at Asian Hospital and Medical Center due to Pneumothorax on the right lower lung. Chest thoracotomy tube was inserted on the right lung. He was discharged improved.

• Further pathology and immunochemistry shows the predominance of sarcomatoid feature in the cancer cell.

• On July 5, 2019, futher increase in the size of pulmonary masses was noted. Treatment was shifted to chemotherapy with doxorubicin 40mg and gemcitabine 1g on July 12, 2019 (first session).

• On July 26, 2019, he was again readmitted at Asian Hospital due to bilateral loculated pleural effusion and possible lung abscesses. However, on August 1, 2019, patient experienced spontaneous drop on his oxygen saturation level that led to intubation and transfer to ICU.

• Since October 2018, Php90,000 to Php150,000 per month is needed for medication alone. Moreover, almost a million have been spent for the previous hospitalization/surgery. Currently patient is in ICU and a thoracentesis on the right lung was performed. After the procedure, he had episodes of increase in heart rate and drop in blood pressure. A 2D Echo was done and consideration was Cardiogenic Shock. The medical team is currently stabilizing his condition. Immunotherapy (Drug: Keytruda, which will costs 315,249.20php every infusion to be given every 3 weeks) will be started once he is more stable.