Jason’s Battle Against NPC Cancer

I am Jason Tecson Mijares, 31 years old and has a cancer.

A father of 4-year old boy from Tacloban City, Philippines. I am diagnosed with Undifferentiated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma,a rare type of head and neck cancer and skull base tumor that starts in the upper part of the throat, behind the nose.

January 2019, I noticed a small lump in my left ear that was getting bigger as days passed by. Months later, I am already worried coz the small lump was as the size of a 10-peso coin . So, I decided to have my check-up for the first time to an ENT specialist , whom advised me to have a biopsy test. After a couple of weeks, the result was out and unfortunately it was a cancerous type of cancer and needs immediate operation (Modified Radical Neck Dissection, Left) which was happened last April 2019 at the Eastern Visayas Medical Center.

My surgeon removed swollen nodules on the affected area out of my left ear down to my neck. My operation was successful but my attending physician told me that to be able to completely kill and get rid of the cancer and the tumor inside my nose (which was found out after the operation and were the cancer started), I have to undergo radio therapy and chemotherapy, which is actually not available in Leyte. I have to go to Manila or Cebu were treatment for my case is available. Traveling expense, food, allowance, house rents, and daily needs was my primary and major concern. I need a very big amount of money and I have no enough resources to suffice my medication and hospital bills if ever we have to travel as soon as possible so, I just left it behind not to proceed with the treatment yet.

Rather, I tried the alternative way of treatment and change of lifestyle likewise, avoiding food for cancer (rice, food with sugar contents, sweet foods, even ripe fruits, milk and etc..), drinking alcoholic beverages and making research about my illness but unfortunately my cancer was aggressive. Because of this, I already loss weight from 72kg to 43kg due to total diet. I am also experiencing double vision which causes difficulty to look straightforward. Sometimes, I feel a tingling sensation in my head and numbness of my jaw.

My nostrils are already clogged, I breathe from my mouth. I could hardly speak and eat solid foods. Soft food and milk are the only food I can eat right now.

My tumor is now covering my air a nd food passage inside my mouth, new lymph nodes have grown and my cancer has rapidly spread. I have difficulty in sleeping, easily tired and feels languish. Having this kind of illness makes my life miserable but I will not give up because my family needs me, most specially my son. They are trying their very best to help me even it is very difficult for me to cope with the day to day activities.

Together with my mother and deaf-mute younger brother, we flew from Tacloban last January 15, 2020. We went to PGH the following day and told to return on January 24, for check-up. The doctor requires us to complete the necessary laboratory test before the treatment. I still have to undergo CT Scan, Xray, Tooth Extraction, and other related tests to be conducted. Probably, I will begin my treatment on March this year. I need to look for other hospital or facility which is nearby to our residence for the daily radio therapy and chemotherapy.

We are almost out of money and I don’t know where can we get financial support to cover all the medical expenses, lab tests, hospitalization and daily needs.

My son Austin will turn five in July. I hope and pray that God will allow me to live longer, to be with him as he grows and live cancer free together with my family and love ones. I still have more memories to create with them and this will be only possible with your prayers and financial assistance which I really need at the moment.

I want to grow old with my son, my wife, my family and all my loved ones.