My name is Vivian. I’m a nurse in WA for over 22 years. I was born and raised in the Philippines, so a huge number of my family live there. I’m organizing this fundraising campaign for my sister-in-law who is so dear to me. Elizabeth Suarez Bustrillos, fondly called Abeth or Beth, has been diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) in July of 2024. ALL is a type of leukemia (blood cancer) that affects the white blood cells of your blood. It occurs when the bone marrow produces immature white blood cells that do not function properly. It is an aggressive and life-threatening cancer that requires immediate treatment. In July 2024, I remember arriving in Bohol (my hometown) from an 18-hour flight and received the devastating news. My supposedly fun vacation turned into a sad, heart-wrenching experience. Instead of visiting people and places, it became visiting hospitals and watching treatments.

Beth has 4 kids, 2 of whom are still in school. The other 2 are both adults and are just starting to live their lives. I’ve seen how Beth worked very hard in rearing those kids and in providing for their needs. She was very active, high-spirited, and full of life. She never got tired of helping people around her, friends or family. Seeing her now in her condition breaks my heart. She looks very fragile, weakened, and incapacitated. The cancer is taking its toll on her. Her life now comprises mostly therapy… chemotherapy and then blood transfusions. In between those treatments, she finds joy in the company of her family, especially her two little grandsons. She loves those little ones very much; she will do and give everything she can for them.

After a few remissions, she again went into relapse. This time with new symptoms. She woke up one morning with difficulty opening her left eye. Then her kids noticed her face is not symmetrical. The left side of her face is now paralyzed. After numerous tests, her oncologist diagnosed her with ALL in relapse with cranial mets. She was told she needs to get a Stem Cell (Bone Marrow) Transplant to get a chance of recovery. This is the biggest hurdle… financial constraints. As a family, we are asking your good heart to spare a few dollars to help alleviate this difficult situation. Please read this letter from my nephew, Christian (Beth’s oldest son), as he pours his heart out. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“It was July 2024 when I first learned that my mother, or Mami Beth as I fondly call her, has been diagnosed with leukemia, one of the deadliest cancers. I did not know how to feel then. I wanted to ask the inevitable question most people who receive this kind of news would initially ask: why did it have to happen to my family, my mother of all people?! My anger was palpable and I wanted to lash out at how unfair the world is. But there’s no one to blame.

Most people wouldn’t know, and perhaps only the closest-knit circle would, that I don’t have the perfect family. I mean, who has? Most definitely, we are not well-off. Yes, we are blessed to have inherited land from my great-grandfather, and my father is also working overseas. But the sole income that only arrives after a few months is not enough. I have siblings who are still studying, and at that time our house was at risk of being foreclosed by PAG-IBIG Housing Loan. My mother did everything in her power to save the house. She is the most selfless person that I know. During that stressful time, she eventually found a job to ease the financial burden. It was actually her previous boss who first noticed the bruises on her arms that eventually led to bleeding, hospital admission, and then the diagnosis of cancer.

I thought my world had stopped then. How can the sturdy pillar of my family be inflicted with this? Perhaps it was the stress or environmental circumstances, but who knows? Not even the healthiest person is immune to this. She is the strongest woman that I know. She has served in hospitality for roughly 30 years and has done a great job. To me, she is my supermom, and I’ve never imagined seeing her frail from the multiple chemo and injections. It is truly heartbreaking. There have been multiple times that I wanted to cry and give up, but then I see the unwavering strength that Mami has, as if she wasn’t the one being bombarded with needles and chemo drugs. Despite everything, she continues to fight strong and steadfast. Her faith in God has never been stronger, and it has given me hope. Hope that in this fight we will never be alone and in the end, we will surpass this trial.

In the past few months, we have been tirelessly working. While leukemia still doesn’t have a cure, a stem cell transplant gives us a fighting chance. But there is still no guarantee since it depends on each individual response. Despite that, I’d still take any chance no matter how small. After all the tests, I have been chosen as the donor. Honestly, I am very nervous, but I have to be tough for Mami. We have applied at the National Kidney Transplant Institute’s social services for aid, but unfortunately, they did not grant it. It was devastating news, but we continue to fight on.

For full disclosure, the transplant is estimated to cost $65,000. With the previous hospital admissions and ongoing chemotherapy, we have been more than depleted. Thankfully, we are blessed with relatives and friends who have helped us since Day 1. Still, it is not enough. It is why I am humbly asking for whatever financial help, however big or small. Even a dollar would be a really great help. I am knocking on your kind hearts to help me and Mami in this grueling battle.” ~Christian