It’s Meriam Meranay’s turn among kidney patients lining up, for their stories of urgent need to be written, so that Samaritans looking for a worthy cause to support may consider their cases.
The 37-year old mother of two is from Nagcarlan, Laguna who found her way to Purok 5, Kias, Baguio City when her common-law husband, Angelito Marasigan, was invited to work there piling up scrap iron for recycling.
The couple met in Manila while she was working as a domestic help. They lived with relatives in San Mateo, Rizal and were blessed with two kids – Mary Joy, now 15, and Marlon, 13.
Last February, Angelito left his family and came back recently after neighbors helping them sought him out so he could attend to their needs.
Meriam was diagnosed early last April for kidney failure after she experienced swelling on her feet, difficulty in urinating and breathing.
A month before that, her husband left his family. That left Meriam with no recourse but to seek support of neighbors for her children, especially for Mary Joy who is coping with mental ailment.
Their plight caught the attention of Pastor Joel Busacay Sungay who accommodated them at his residence at Virac, Itogon, Benguet.
“The mother is hard up, and has missed several dialysis sessions; she is ready to kick the bucket, if only someone could take care of her children,” Sungay said last week.
That was when expatriate karate instructor Julian Chees advised this writer to guarantee payment of P2,200 to enable her to resume her dialysis sessions at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
“Her condition has improved after the belated dialysis, steeling our resolve to try to work out how to sustain her treatment, reason why she has given permission for her case to be written about, so that Samaritans out there can help,” Pastor Sungay said.
Samaritans out there may get in touch with Pastor Sungay through cellphones 09294942152 and 09279854282. ** Ramon Dacawi.
