Albay mom seeks help for daughter’s bone operation

Salvacion Esleta is knocking on the hearts of the public to help her raise money for the bone operation of her 10-year-old daughter.

Her daughter Vanessa, a grade 4 student at Cabasan Elementary School in Bacacay, Albay, broke her arm when it was hit by a falling coconut as Super Typhoon Rolly hammered the Bicol region.

Salvacion’s partner, Oscar Bombales, used to be an abaca stripper. But the coronavirus pandemic and the series of tropical cyclones which pummeled Bicol has wiped out abaca plantations. Bombales, like the rest of the workers in the abaca industry, is now jobless.

The series of tropical cyclones has made the situation even worst.

The couple first took Vanessa to the Bacacay Rural Health Unit for check-up.

Dr Merlie C. Beltran, the municipal health officer there, recommended they bring Vanessa to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH) in Legazpi City, and consult an orthopedic surgeon.

Fearing that they might contract COVID-19 in Legazpi City, the couple instead brought their daughter to the Armando D. Cope General Hospital in Tabaco City. BRTTH is the DOH-designated coronavirus referral hospital in the region.

At the Armando D. Cope General Hospital where Vanessa had an X-ray, Dr Ruben Escober said that the findings showed there was “a complete oblique displaced overlapping fracture” in the girl’s arm. In short, she had a broken bone.

Vanessa needs a bone operation but the couple could not afford it.

“I am sleepless for so many nights as my daughter’s right arm is swelling,” Salvacion said in between tears. “I could not do anything because we don’t have money to bring her to hospital for operation. The doctor at Armando D. Cope General Hospital told us that my daughter needs an operation,” she told Rappler.

“I’m begging for help to support my daughter’s operation. I’m knocking the doors of the well-off families to help me send my daughter get her operation at BRTTH for operation,” she said.

Salvacion is concerned about her daughter’s plight, even though her family is mired deep in problems. Aside from having 9 children to feed, their house was flattened by Super Typhoon Rolly.

“We’re helpless. Our home is flattened to the ground. My youngest child is 3 years old. Vanessa is in danger. I’m afraid of possible repercussion as the incident took place more than 3 weeks now and Vanessa is under so much much pain,” Salvacion said in Filipino.

When asked if she could get assistance from relatives, Salvacion said that she and her husband’s families were in financial difficulty as well.

 “My husband’s family gave us P1,000 for Vanessa’s hospitalization but we used the money for transportation and payment for X-ray,” Salvacion said.

How to help

Those who would like to help Vanessa Esleta and her family may send their donations through Ronaldo D. Ebrada, the president of the Legazpi City Host Lions Club, an organization which is active in sharing their help during disasters.

Here are the details:

GCash
Account Number: 09153614082

Palawan Express
Name: Ronaldo D. Ebrada
Address: Legazpi City, Albay
Contact Number: 09153614082

– Rappler.com