Readers help mother beat breast cancer
Residents contributed Dh80,000 after Gulf News report to support Thess Trinidad’s treatment
Aided by the generosity of people in the UAE, including a host of Gulf News readers, Thess Trinidad is today cancer-free.
The 38-year-old Filipina bravely battled an aggressive breast cancer over the last year, and was recently given the all clear.
“I am fine and healthy today, but none of my treatment would have been possible without the help and kindness of complete strangers and wellwishers,” Trinidad, a motherof-four, told Gulf News.
“People in the UAE pitched in to support me with almost Dh80,000, covering the cost of my chemotherapy treatment, testing and surgery, and I simply cannot thank them enough with my words,” she added.
As reported by Gulf News last December, Trinidad, who used to work as a technical coordinator at a telecommunications company, was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in summer 2016, which quickly progressed to Stage III. Doctors advised eight sessions of chemotherapy, followed by a surgical removal of the affected breast, but Trinidad was worried as she would not be able to foot the bill.
After her story appeared in Gulf News last December, however, readers reached out to offer their support and contributions. “Within a week, I received a call from an Indian gentleman who said he would pay for any treatment I needed. In total, he donated Dh45,000 to help me,” Trinidad said with tears in her eyes.
She also received a further Dh27,000 from St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai, and a fundraiser by The Cambridge High School in Abu Dhabi yielded Dh8,500.
“I realised that the UAE’s spirit of humanity is not restricted to any religion or nationality. I had people from all faiths and nationalities reaching out to me,” Trinidad said.
Now that the mother of four has beaten the disease, she is on the lookout for a job to support her family.
“My husband runs a small telecommunication subcontracting business, and can bring home only about Dh1,500 a month. We are unable to send our four-year-old to school, and are homeschooling her, as we also need to send back some funds to support our three older children in the Philippines,” she said.
Trinidad used to earn about Dh6,500 but had to quit in 2016 because of the cancer.
“Although this is another challenge, my fight against cancer has taught me that one just needs to place his/her faith in God and take it one day at a time,” Trinidad added.