Hi to everyone and anyone reading this,

This may come to you as a shock or news that has only recently settled in. Since Thanksgiving, my mom, Janet Bergonia Blanco, had been in and out of hospitals. Nearly a month later, she was diagnosed with high-grade adenosarcoma—an aggressive, fast-growing, and rare malignant uterine tumour—later confirmed to be carcinosarcoma.

The aggressiveness and intensity of this was one that came to a surprise to us all. After several long-fighting weeks, her suffering of any earthly pain has come to an end because, as of November 17, around 230pm was when, my mom took her final rest.

As a single mother raising a daughter, in a country unfamiliar to her, she navigated the world with such grace and pride. Janet always had a friendly nature, a fighting spirit, a driven mentality, hospitable energy, and, honestly, probably one of the biggest hearts you could ever meet. I didn't realize the capacity of her impact until so many of you showed up for her.

I want to finish by sharing her wish... her final wish is to rest at home, back home in the Philippines—the place she was born and raised, the place she brought me to every other year to make sure I could experience life close to her family, and experience our culture. In her honour, that is what I am choosing to do.

Thank you for showing up, for being a friend or her family, and for returning the love and kindness she was known to give. Anything will help me, us, out to make sure we honour her wish to be buried in the Philippines and help me continue to provide for my family back home as she did for them.

With so much love and gratitude, I know Janet was grateful to have met you. On her behalf, thank you. Maraming salamat po. May God bless you all. ️

— Mara Josephine Balmaceda, her daughter

(along with the rest of the Blanco family in the Philippines)