If love could take a single shape, it would look like my Aunty Michel, with her gentle hands, a brave heart, and a steady presence. She is humility with a fierce spine: a rock for her people, a refuge for strays, a voice for anyone without one. Where others pass by, she notices, cares and quietly shows up.

Right from the very start, she carries a sense of responsibility for those around her. As a daughter, a sister, and later an Aunty, she was always the one who stepped into the gap quietly without needing to be asked. When I was about a year old and my mum had to leave my brother and I in the Philippines to go overseas to build a better life for us, Aunty Michel stepped in as my mother. She attended every ballet recitals, every graduation and special occasion, no matter how big or small. She never allowed us to feel the absence of not having our parents there; she filled the space with her presence, both physically and in spirit. To all of us, she was more than an Aunty, she was a protector, a cheerleader, and a steady source of love and strength.

Aunty Michel's love for dogs is also boundless, and it reflects the heart she carries for all living beings. She has five rescued dogs of her own, and if she could she would care for every stray she encountered. One memory that captures this spirit is when she spotted a stray by the fountain at SM Mall Uptown. The dog wouldn't come with her, yet Aunty Michel returned every day for weeks, bringing food and water, and posting online to help locate its owners. This moment wasn't the first nor was it, or will ever be, her last. She has since built homes for stray dogs and taken care of a number of others. This quiet, persistent care is typical of her, she doesn't help for recognition, she helps because she simply cannot stand to see anyone, human or animal, left without care. Her compassion is steady, humble, and unwavering, and anyone who crosses her path feels it.

Aunty Michel, who was once so vibrant and full of life, is now slowly facing a challenge no one could have anticipated. She has always been athletic, with a love for cycling that was never about recognition or competition, but about testing herself, knowing her mind and body could rise to the challenge. She once cycled from Cagayan De Oro to Iligan, over 110 kilometres both ways of uphill and downhill terrain, simply to see what she could achieve.

Recently, Aunty Michel suffered a stroke caused by a rare tumour growing in her heart. It wasn't hereditary nor was it anything she could have prevented, it was simply a rare occurrence of nature. She now requires urgent open-heart surgery to remove the tumour and restore her health.

To witness someone so strong and full of life have her health change in the blink of an eye has been a heavy burden for all who love her. This open-heart surgery is not just a medical procedure; it is a chance for her to reclaim the vitality and life she has always lived so fully. It is a chance to give Aunty Michel herself back.

Aunty Michel has spent her life giving, protecting, nurturing, and loving without hesitation. She has always been first to show up, first to listen, first to care, and first to inspire. Her life is proof that love is a force stronger than circumstance, gentler than words, and more enduring than time.

Even now, as she faces this challenge, her story continues to shine, reminding everyone around her of what humanity, humility, and unwavering love look like. Aunty Michel is, in every sense, a life lived fully, and a spirit that leaves the world immeasurably brighter.

How The Funds Will Be Used

To be completely transparent, all donations will come through to me here in Australia. After all the funds are received, I will then be sending it straight to Aunty Michel and our family in the Philippines to cover:

This isn't just about surgery, it is a chance to give her back the life she has worked hard to build. It's time to save the heart that has saved so many.