Jojo needs medical support (Pacemaker and PEG)

Hello everyone. I'm Karla and I am hoping to raise funds for my brother's medical needs. My brother, Jojo, is in need of a pacemaker and a procedure called Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or PEG.

Last March 1, 2019 at 7:30 pm, my brother suffered from cardiac arrest while at work. The doctor successfully revived him after 21 minutes. He was then rushed to the Emergency Department of San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay City where he was stabilized. The doctors advised us to transfer him to an ICU for further observations and due to financial constraints we opted to transfer my brother to Ospital ng Maynila.

Aside from the brain damage caused by the prolonged absence of oxygen supply to his brain during his cardiac arrest, the doctors speculate that he may have suffered from stroke as the right side of his body does not show any movement. He is currently awake but cannot follow instructions from his doctors. A tracheostomy was done last March 7 and he is currently maintained on respirator.

The doctors told us that he has a LONG QT SYNDROME (LQTS). It is a heart rhythm condition that can potentially cause fast, chaotic heartbeats. These rapid heartbeats might trigger a sudden fainting spell or seizure. In some cases, the heart can beat erratically for so long that it causes sudden death. The doctor said that he might have had this condition since he was born. Many people who have long QT syndrome don't have any signs or symptoms. Two of our brothers died at an early age (at 23 and 25) because of cardiac arrest but we were not familiar of this condition and we were not able to take necessary precautions.The doctor advised that a pacemaker is necessary to prevent future heart attacks. He said that an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) needs to be installed. The device alone costs up to 450,000 pesos (8,500 USD) in the Philippines.

A Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or PEG is also needed since he cannot follow instructions and direct feeding is necessary. It is a procedure in which a flexible feeding tube is placed through the abdominal wall and into the stomach. PEG allows nutrition, fluids and/or medications to be put directly into the stomach, bypassing the mouth and esophagus. This procedure costs around 30,000 pesos (560 USD).

We need your help to raise the funds to give Jojo another chance at life. If you know my brother, Jojo, you know that he has a jolly and outgoing personality. You know that he has a good heart and truly cares for the people around him especially his family. I hope you can help Jojo and our family overcome this adversity. If you are unable to donate monetarily, we please ask that you help us with your prayers. Thank you very much!

Our family would also appreciate direct donations made through the following Philippine (BPI) Bank Account:

Account Name: Karla Joyce Badong
Account Number: 4939134714