My Ongoing Battle with CKD

Hi! I'm Lans Rosales, a 28-year old Iskolar ng Bayan with a background on Social Science who is currently working for the Philippine Red Cross as a fundraising officer. I enjoy music, especially attending gigs and musical events, as I myself used to play in a band back in college. I am extremely amused by memes (funny content on social media) and by sharing them I always hope that my amusement will extend to my friends, make them laugh or give them a breather on a stressful day. I also started training and running 10Ks this year. I wanted to push myself and prove that despite being diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), I can still work towards being a better version of myself.

In January this year, I was hospitalized due to pneumonia. It was then that I also found out that I have CKD Stage V. More commonly known as End Stage Renal Disease, CKD Stage V means that my kidneys have lost most of its function, including cleansing and ridding my body of its toxins. As a substitute and to compensate for its major loss of function, I now undergo regular 4-hour Hemodialysis treatments thrice a week.

Aside from having to go to a renal clinic on a regular basis, I live a normal life. I go to work just like any other professional, and bring my work to dialysis treatment if the need arises. As much as possible I maintain a healthy diet and combine it with consistent training and exercise. Since January, I budget most of what I earn for my daily living expenses, maintenance medicines, and treatment which leaves me with little to no savings. As a step to diversify my skills, be able to save more for my medical needs, and challenge myself to pursue an interest that I was not able to do before, I decided to enroll myself in night classes to learn about coding and web development.

While attending regular dialysis treatments let me live without the complications of CKD, without transplant I will be relying on it for as long as I live. That is why my aim is to have a kidney transplant. And as with any medical procedure that requires transplantation, it comes with a hefty price. To have a new lease in life, the combined expenses for the pre-work ups and actual operation will total to more or less PhP 1,500,000.00. Much as I want to prepare for it, my current medical expenses and medication eats up most of my income. Post-transplant, I will be required to take anti-rejection medication for as long as I live for my body to accept the donated organ. The anti-rejection medication will cost me around PhP 100,000.00 a month for the first 2-4 months after my operation, depending on my body’s reaction to the medication. In total, I need to raise roughly PhP 2,000,000.00 to cover all transplant-related expenses, including the recovery expenses of my future donor.

I have yet to find myself a donor, another challenge altogether. Organ donation by any of my family members might yield highest compatibility and be the simplest way for transplantation but my family’s medical history prevents any of them to be one. Hypertension has left my sister ineligible to be a donor. My CKD is also hereditary, which means most of the males in my family has been or is also affected by CKD. But I am determined to find a donor, to prepare for it in all aspects, and be ready for the procedure when the time comes.

I have decided to push through with the transplant because I want to experience the best life that I can have. I want to continue be of help to others, enjoy music, make people smile, and prove to myself and other patients that I can do more even with CKD.

If you wish to be part of my journey in achieving these things and overcoming this challenge, any form of help, support and prayers are deeply appreciated.

For those who'd like to donate directly to Lans' bank account:

BDO Savings: Lawrence Victor J. Rosales 0076 2019 3380

GCash: Lawrence Victor J. Rosales 0926 578 7246

BPI Savings: Erica Chester A. Bucog 0466 157 399