00:00She is currently fighting Stage 2B Breast Cancer at the age of 29 years old.
00:17How did you detect it?
00:18I noticed that my hand was always itching.
00:21Itching?
00:22Yes, here on the left side.
00:23And there was a pain in the breast.
00:26But it didn't hurt that much, so you wouldn't think it was cancer.
00:35It was as if Cherry's world collapsed when she found out about the news.
00:42I was scared because I was still young.
00:45I wanted to be normal.
00:48I wanted to fulfill all my dreams.
00:51I wanted to have a child.
00:54Of course, it was cancer.
00:56In our minds, we thought that we might die.
01:03To prevent the spread of cancer to other parts of her body,
01:08Cherry immediately underwent a mastectomy.
01:14That's when I underwent a mastectomy.
01:16That's when I started fighting cancer.
01:20I had my left breast removed.
01:25After the removal, I had to undergo chemotherapy for two months.
01:32At that time, it was difficult.
01:35Cherry, we all know that breast cancer is a part of our womanhood.
01:43When you removed your breast, what effect did it have on you?
01:49Mentally? Emotionally?
01:51Yes, because it's important to us.
01:55If we don't have a breast, it's embarrassing.
01:59We're not confident enough to wear clothes that fit our body.
02:07Because we don't have a breast.
02:11But what's more serious than her situation?
02:15The unbearable expenses due to cancer.
02:21Cherry was a sales promoter.
02:23Her income was not enough to pay for a medicine that costs more than P100,000.
02:31And because her body became weak, she had to stop working.
02:37At that time, I didn't know where I would get the money.
02:41That's what I was thinking.
02:43I was sick. How would I get this?
02:46Where would I get the money to pay for the medicine?
02:49Where would I survive?
02:51It was really painful.
02:53I felt like my bones were breaking.
02:55My tears were even falling.
03:00No matter how difficult her life was,
03:03sometimes, she couldn't get over the fact that she had to give up.
03:11When you found out that you had cancer, how did you overcome it?
03:14You said, no, I will fight.
03:16I thought of my child, my family, and my partner.
03:21I fought for them.
03:23I fought for Endy.
03:25Because without them, you can't do anything.
03:30But what she thought would be a shield during the trial, she left it for good.
03:38At that time, I talked to my partner.
03:42She said, it's okay.
03:44We will get rid of it so that you can live.
03:47But she also left me at that time when I was still in chemo.
03:51When you were in chemo?
03:52She left me.
03:54She became a woman.
03:55She met another woman in her work.
03:59Oh my God.
04:00Yes, so it was really hard.
04:03It was really hard.
04:05I didn't think that I would survive all of that.
04:09Because I was depressed.
04:13This kind of situation didn't change
04:15where cancer patients are suddenly abandoned by their loved ones.
04:22Because it's hard.
04:24Not one person can support them.
04:28The roles of people in the family change.
04:32Before, the husband was just a provider.
04:36It's hard to be a provider when you work all day.
04:39And when you go home, you still have to take care of him.
04:42The one with cancer needs the help of everyone.
04:48It's very sad to be separated from your loved ones.
04:54So you really need to support the love givers
05:00or those who help the patient.
05:07After the stroke that happened to Cherry,
05:11she gained strength from her six-year-old daughter, Cyrus.
05:17While I was in chemo, I was taking care of her.
05:21It was really hard because I felt really bad.
05:25Because of the effects of the medicine,
05:27I would feel dizzy.
05:28But I was able to do it.
05:31I would walk her to school.
05:34And when I felt dizzy,
05:37I would stop for a while and rest.
05:40Then I would walk her again.
05:43That's what I did.
05:45I always prayed that I would be able to do this.
05:52According to the Global Cancer Observatory,
05:54in 2022,
05:56almost 200,000 Filipinos were diagnosed with cancer.
06:02More than 113,000 people died because of this.
06:08This is higher than the last figure in 2020.
06:16The Global Cancer Observatory
06:19is a global, non-profit, non-governmental organization
06:22based in the Philippines.
06:24Its mission is to help people with cancer
06:27get the best care possible.
06:30For more information, visit www.globalcancer.org
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