Help Rico and Sheila Through This Tough Time

We are friends of Sheila and Rico, or Poy as he is fondly called, who are organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Rico Tabligan.

Rico is the definition of hard work, sacrifice, and discipline. A simple guy who wakes up at the break of dawn to hit the gym, comes home and makes a healthy breakfast for his family, and then goes to work—he does this routine day in and day out without missing a beat. Healthy living is his passion in life. Considered by many as their personal wellness coach, he is often asked for advice about diet and nutrition—things that he religiously follows, and it shows. His favorite activity consists of spending time with his family and friends hiking, exploring national parks, and immersing himself in photography.

Which is why his diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma came as a shock to everyone in December of 2024. Rico underwent two chemotherapy treatments, which unfortunately showed disease progression and organ metastases. He has been hospitalized twice this June for some complications, particularly ascites, a buildup of fluid in the abdomen causing severe pain, digestive issues, and shortness of breath. We are praying that he feels better and gets stronger every day so he can come home and spend time with family and friends.

Overall, there is a poor prognosis with pancreatic cancer, but Rico continues to fight the good fight with faith and the encouragement of his many prayer warriors all over the world. Rico will never let cancer decide his fate and happiness. He continues to live in the moment—despite this horrible disease and the constant pain he feels, he manages to still make the hospital staff laugh with his irrepressible witty comebacks and quirky humor. He takes the time to know the names of hospital staff who come into contact with him and even nominates dedicated staff for the Daisy Award for Excellence, which recognizes exemplary nurses.

His family and friends stand by him to fight this disease until the end. He hopes that he gets stronger so he can participate in clinical trials here or anywhere in the US.

We have created this page for his medical expenses and other treatment-related costs, any future travels when he gets better to explore other options from other health institutions, as well as his family's needs. Please feel free to share the link. And don’t feel bad if it’s a simple prayer that you can offer; as we all know, prayers can move mountains!