Brave Maryanne sitting up in her hospital in the Philippines to make a special appeal for help. Picture supplied by family.
BRAVE MARYANNE’s BATTLE AGAINST CANCER
By ANDREW
SOLIEN
In a
Philippines medical center in Quezon City, a Papuan woman sits up in her sick
bed.
The
television flickers and her blank stare is trapped by the Filipino drama. But
her mind is not in that hospital.
She is
dreaming of her children and her parents back in Port Moresby.
Maryanne
Ruth Field, a 43-years-old mum, is a cervix cancer patient at the Saint Luke’s
Medical Center where she has been admitted for treatment for the past six
months.
Maryanne
was initially treated in Port Moresby but the tumor regrew. Her only hope was
to leave PNG and seek treatment in the Philippines.
Her
kidneys had failed in Port Moresby and she required dialysis at the time she
was flown out to Quezon.
A small
miracle has brightened her hopes – her right kidney has resumed function after
treatment in Saint Luke’s.
But she is
not out of trouble as yet. Her medical seem to be working and she is able to
communicate with her eldest daughter and guardian Kerenza who is taking good
care of mum.
Even more
worrying is the growing bill for her stay. Her medical bill is now a massive
half a million in PNG Kinas.
This is something her family cannot afford.
Mother Margaret Konu is heartbroken. A former Air Niugini worker, she does not have the means to afford to travel to see her daughter over in the Philippines.
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Maryanne's mum with her two grand daughters making a special appeal for their mummy Maryanne who needs your help. If you can help these girls to save their mummy, see the contact at the bottom of the story. |
“Our
daughter is overseas and we can’t see her or touch her face to give her comfort
and strength; our hearts are burdened as her hospital bills has jumped from K50,000
initially to K500,000,” she says with tears rolling down her face.
“I would
not go to this highest level in seeking assistance from very powerful leaders
if I had a choice, but I don’t have the luxury of time and money; deep inside
my heart, I trust that God is in control and that the leaders of both countries
will listen to a mother’s call and assist somehow,” said Mama Maggie.
Maryanne was
diagnosed last year with a 3B cervical cancer resulting in ongoing radio and
chemo therapy treatments at Port Moresby General Hospital.
Tales like Maryanne's are all too common in PNG where maternal health care is fractured and cancer treatment for women is almost nil.
Mothers in the rural areas where there is no hospital, no doctor, no medicine, and no health care are the worst affected. Most turn to herbal medicine for remedy.
“It was a
miracle when Maryanne, after arriving in the Philippines and getting treated,
felt her right kidney working again whereas it was inactive previously and was
of great concern to her medical condition on the whole, truly God was at work
because we have been all praying hard for her cancer to heal,” said Margret.
“I pray
that our PNG Prime Minister, James Marape and the Philippines Prime Minister,
Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jnr will read this story and help my daughter,” she
said.
If you have a heart to help, please call the numbers or text Rachel Field.
For any
donations or financial support for Maryanne Ruth Field’s Medical Appeal –
please send to the following details;
Account Name: Maryanne Ruth Field; Bank: BSP Account No: 1000513013.
For any queries – kindly contact Rachael Field on 72666866.
Brave Maryanne undergoing treatment in Saint Luke's cancer treatment facility in Quezon City, Philippines. Picture supplied with permission of family.
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