Ailing Baguio newsman seeks LeBron's help

IT MIGHT be a long shot but veteran newsman and Sun.Star Baguio columnist Ramon Dacawi is seeking the help of NBA basketball star LeBron James to help him in his battle against diabetes.

Dacawi wrote to James on July 3 and posted his letter on Facebook hoping the now LA Lakers star philanthropy would radiate and reach out to him and be able to undergo kidney transplant.

"Everything in earned, as your e-mail account truthfully states, on this, I open my life, hoping it reflects deeds worthy enough to have earn the right to make this appeal for your help," said Dacawi's letter.

Dacawi is a retired information officer of the Baguio City Mayor's Office who served for 45 years who

has exhausted all his retirement fund to undergo four times a week dialysis due to kidney failure triggered by diabetes.

He conceptualized and implemented the eco-walk, an environmental immersion program for children that enabled them to restore the city's main water source, the Busol Watershed.

The program merited a Global 500 award for sustainable environmental awareness program for the United Nations Environmental Program.

Dacawi, for many years have been writing on the plight of dialysis, cancer and seriously ill patients by linking them with Samaritans to their call for financial support to sustain their treatment.

A dialysis patient himself, Dacawi has worked with city officials for the increase of government support through PhilHealth to patients from 45 free sessions to 90 a year.

Dacawi recently initiated a signature campaign asking the government to make dialysis free medical services.

Part of the initiative was asking the Congress to pass a bill to make dialysis a free medical service as many Filipinos cannot afford the costs of sustaining the treatment to staying alive.

"I pray your foundation would set aside US$150,000 to enable me to undergo kidney transplant and pay the posttransplant maintenance and anti-rejection medicines towards restoring my life to normalcy. Whatever remains would be for a trust fund to support dialysis patients unable to pay their life- saving blood cleansing sessions," Dacawi's letter adds.

Just last month, footbal enthusiasts were able to generate at least P83,000 from different supporters to help Dacawi and two other ailing mothers.