Help Jerry Ponce Fight Brain Cancer

‎My name is Geraldine Ponce, and I am reaching out to all of you to ask for your help for my brother, Jerry Ponce, who is currently fighting a very difficult battle with brain cancer.

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‎Jerry is a hardworking man who spent many years as an HVAC technician overseas in Saudi Arabia to provide for his wife and children in the Philippines. In February 2023, our family’s world was turned upside down when Jerry suddenly collapsed at his accommodation. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered he had a brain tumor (Stage 2 Oligodendroglioma).

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‎He underwent three brain surgeries, all of which, by God’s grace, were successful and covered by his insurance. Despite the ordeal, Jerry remained strong, he only experienced short-term memory loss, but he could still walk, talk, and do simple tasks. At that time, his wife and children were unable to be with him due to visa issues and school commitments, but his supervisor in Saudi took care of him like family. In May 2023, Jerry was finally able to return home to the Philippines, where his memory slowly improved, and his family cherished every moment with him.

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‎Sadly, in January of this year, tragedy struck again. Jerry suffered a prolonged seizure that lasted for several minutes. Since he'd never experienced a seizure before, his family rushed him to the hospital where scans revealed that his tumor had grown back, causing severe pressure in his brain. Another surgery saved his life, but this time his condition worsened, he lost the ability to communicate clearly, struggled to follow instructions, and developed hydrocephalus at his surgical site due to fluid build up in his brain. With the help of relatives, friends, and government agencies, his family managed to cover the costs of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

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‎Unfortunately, in June, his condition declined further. Jerry began refusing food and water, unable to eat more than a few bites, and even water seemed unbearable to him. He was hospitalized once again for over a month. Doctors attempted to relieve the fluid buildup on his brain by draining through aspiration hoping that it would improve his condition but ultimately failed because there was yet again another fluid build up just mere hours after fluid aspiration was performed. It was later decided that they would insert VP shunts to redirect the fluid, but his appetite never returned. He was fed through an NGT (nasogastric tube), which he kept pulling out due to discomfort, forcing doctors to replace it with a PEG tube inserted directly into his stomach.

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‎On July 24, the hospital allowed Jerry to be discharged, but only after his family signed a promissory note, as they still owe over ₱250,000.

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‎To make matters worse, on July 29, he needed to be rushed to the hospital again because he experience another episode of seizure. This time, he was supposed to be admitted only for 24 hours so he could be observed but because it seemed like he was more drowsy than usual, doctors decided to monitor him even until now.

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‎Because of his prolonged loss of appetite and being bedridden for so long, Jerry has become extremely weak, he can no longer stand on his own and now requires full assistance for all his daily needs. To properly care for him at home, his family urgently needs to procure a hospital bed, a wheelchair, and his expensive maintenance medications, all of which add to the financial strain.

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‎These past months have been overwhelming for his family in the Philippines, both emotionally and financially. The cost of multiple surgeries, VP shunt insertion, PEG placement, radiation, chemotherapy, and extended hospital stays has drained their resources. Despite exhausting all savings and seeking help from relatives, friends, and government agencies, it is still not enough.

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‎Today, I am humbly asking for your support on behalf of Jerry’s wife and children. Any amount—big or small—will make a difference in ensuring he receives the care he desperately needs. Your kindness will go directly toward his medical treatments, medications, equipment, and outstanding hospital bills.

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‎Jerry has fought so hard and continues to hold on for his family. With your help, we hope to give him the chance to recover and spend more time with the people who love him dearly.

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‎Thank you so much for taking the time to read Jerry’s story. Please keep him in your prayers, and if you can, kindly share this fundraiser to help us reach more people.

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‎From our hearts to yours, thank you for your generosity.