Sidelined Cabbie, Carpenter Need Help
September 27, 2014
At least one patient is featured every week in the local papers, making it look endless the number of people stricken with kidney failure and badly needing support to continue their life-time hemodialysis. .
This week, it’s the turn of John Pacio Cawayan and Frederick Oller to have their cases told. They had to wait for two months before their permission to have their plight shared as publication has to be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cawayan, a 61-year old father of three from 128 Sunnyside, Fairview Barangay here, was a laborer/carpenter until late last year, when he felt too weak to work. He was diagnosed for end-stage kidney failure and began twice-a-week hemodialysis treatment last February.
“At present, his eldest son, Johnson, (a kitchen help at Kalei’s Grill in La Trinidad, Benguet), maionly provides the needs of the family,” city social welfare and development officer Betty Fangasan said. :His two other children are irregular laborers and their combined income is not enough to support the expensive medication of their father.”
“Adtoyak nga agpatpatulong baben iti pagiwarnak tapno maammuan dagiti addaan iti naimbag nga pangpuspuso ken manangaasi (I’m her asking for help through the weeklies so people with a heart may know and reach out),” he wrote.
Oller, a 38-year old taxi driver of 45-D Purok 1, Marcoville barangay here, was told early last June his kidneys had also failed. His doctor recommended thrice-a-week-hemodialysis treatment costing at the least, P6,600 per week, an amount far beyond his daily earning of P500 when he was still well enough to drive a cab.
The former cabbie lives with his wife, Joselyn; one=year old daughter, Esralyn Mae; 71-year old mother, Caridad; sister, Prescela; and niece, Mika Kareza.
“With the health condition of (patient), the family is worried, more so that they could not sustain his needed lifetime medication,” noted social welfare officer Myrna Valencerina.
Barangay chief Ruel Casuga has certified Oller’s need for financial support, further supported by the Valencerina’s report that none of the family members is employed.
Cawayan can be reached through his son John’s cellphone number 09098092877 or during his treatment session at the Baguio General hospital and Medical Center at 8:00 p.m. on Mondays, anmd 4 p.m. on Thursdays.
Samaritans can contact Oller through is wfe’s number – 09324576575/09093558011 or visit him during his treatment sessions at the BGHMC every 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday and at 1 a.m. on Sundays./ Ramon Dacawi.
