Hi, I’m Michael. I live in Washington State USA. My fiancée, Cris currently lives in Philippines. I am raising money for Cris’s mother, Dolores. She was diagnosed with cancer in her colon and liver. She needs money to pay for Chemotherapy. Below I am sharing the story directly from Cris.

Hello,

My name is Cris, the second of three siblings. Since I was a child, my parents have been separated due to my father’s irresponsibility and jealousy. When I was in Grade 4, my mother took it upon herself to raise us three children. My mother left my father for us, her children, because one night, while they were asleep, my father placed a knife under his pillow and harassed my mother. That’s when my mother decided to leave him. We moved in with my grandparents, and they helped my mother support us.

We live in a part of Mindanao, but I am currently working in Cebu as a call center representative. My mother has always loved us dearly. When we were in elementary school, she would cook various snacks, such as popcorn, polvoron, and sometimes "tira-tira," a type of candy made from caramelized sugar. Even though we didn't have a father, our childhood was filled with happiness, love, and support, thanks to our mother. At times, our father would cause trouble, but despite the anger I felt as a child, my mother always reminded us that forgiveness is important.

Even through all the challenges, my mother remained strong. She never looked for another partner and devoted all her attention to us. She also took care of my grandparents. She was the strength of our household. Years passed, and when we reached college, we continued to help our mother with selling. My older sister, in particular, picked up the skill of being resourceful from our mother. Before we knew it, my sister graduated with a degree in Marketing Management, and we were all so happy for her. A year after her graduation, she and her boyfriend decided to get married. My mother accepted this with so much support and love.

Then, I graduated with a degree in Education and took the board exam. I remember my mother crying and praying for me during the exam. By God’s grace, I passed and went to Cebu to find a job. After a few months, I finally found a job, and I was so happy because I could finally help my mother. I thought everything would be fine, but last December, we found out that my mother had a tumor in her intestines, and it was diagnosed as cancer. It hasn’t been easy for us. While I’ve been away, I’ve cried myself to sleep every night. I love my mother so much, and I was deeply hurt by the news. If it weren’t for my American fiance, who has been comforting me, I’m not sure how I would have managed.

We continue to pray that my mother will recover. She underwent surgery to remove the tumor, and the operation was successful. We were happy, but just yesterday, we found out from a CT scan that there is also a tumor in her liver. We are really hoping you can help us. My mother is a kind, supportive, and caring person. I want to be with her for as long as possible and see her live a comfortable life. I hope you will read my letter and consider helping us with my mother’s treatment. Thank you so much.