IT WILL take me maybe two more months before I can finish paying off the loans – just in time for Rafael’s arrival. As Papa and Kuya regain their strength, friends and relatives alike continue to marvel over how we were able to pull everything off, considering our situation. I can’t guarantee what worked for us will work for everyone else, but here are some of the ways my family and I used to help us get major medical treatment without much money:

First, we found dignity in asking help from people and groups whom we knew could be potential sources of support. When I prepared our solicitation letter, I wrote it as if I were writing to very close friends and kin. I never missed a detail and told the truth, especially about our financial situation. I myself was surprised with the overwhelming response; people who knew people who knew me — some even based abroad — called me up and gave significant financial help. Some even said that helping us was “cathartic” because they had undergone similar experiences.

Second, I did not hesitate to repeatedly ask for leads from colleagues. As I mentioned earlier, I was able to tap most of the major sources of support for Kuya’s hospitalization by way of tips or endorsements from media friends. This was also how I was also able to get support from political offices, government agencies, and private groups. I mapped every sector: church, media, government, business, foundations, nongovernment organizations, and individuals.

Third, I maintained an orderly case kit that I made available to anyone interested in helping us. In Mama and Kuya’s cases, I made a chronological brief and compiled all their medical records, receipts, endorsements from the barangay and local social welfare offices, and other pertinent data. I compiled these as if I were preparing media kits for a press conference or arranging my documents for a story. I also updated Papa’s records every night while we were at the hospital. Before he underwent surgery, his doctors received a clean and chronological compilation of all his diagnostic test results, including plates, frames, slides, and a videotape of his colonoscopy.

Fourth, we never stopped believing in the capacity of man to do good or to “pay it forward.” Until now, I am still amazed that I was able to raise around P150,000 from chip-ins alone from kin, friends, and even practical strangers for Kuya. And that’s apart from what my sister-in-law was able to raise from contributions of her relatives and friends.

Lastly, we never ran out of faith in the Power greater than us. It may be a cliché, but I know there was a reason why these trials were given to us, and that He would never abandon us.

I really hope other families who have to undergo such crises would be as fortunate as we have been. Money may be vital to get the best treatment in this country, but surely, we can also help make miracles – for ourselves and for others.