Hi, my name is Vic Visitacion, the President of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge Alberta. We urgently ask for your support in raising funds for the family of Lucy, a beloved friend who is bravely battling cancer. Recently rushed to the hospital, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor that requires immediate open-brain surgery. As her family has paused work to be by her side, they are struggling with the overwhelming costs of travel and accommodations in Calgary—on top of their usual expenses. In an effort to stay close, they have sacrificed staying at a nearby hotel, instead sleeping on hospital chairs or in their cars. Your generosity can help relieve their financial burden and allow them to focus on what truly matters: supporting Lucy in her fight. Any contribution, big or small, will make a difference. Below is a detailed account of Lucy’s journey through this difficult battle.

Lucila’s battle with cancer began on her 60th birthday, October 31, 2022, when a CT scan revealed breast cancer. Diagnosed as Stage 2B, she underwent an intensive treatment plan consisting of 16 chemotherapy sessions every two weeks and 16 rounds of radiation administered every 5 days. In addition to routine checkups and lab work, she underwent a mastectomy on March 15, 2022, removing her right breast along with a few lymph nodes. For a year, she lived with the relief of being cancer-free. To maintain this status, she started taking Anastrozole on April 24, 2023—one pill daily for seven years.

Unfortunately, a year later, she began noticing blood in her stool and sought medical attention, leading to a rectal cancer diagnosis in January 2024. This time, it was Stage 3. In March 2024, surgeons removed the tumor and performed an ileostomy, rerouting her bowel movements temporarily. She then underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy without radiation, completing her last treatment in January 2025. As of now, she awaits surgery this summer to reverse the ileostomy and restore normal bowel function, pending approval from her rectal surgeon.

Her health struggles escalated further when, on May 11—Mother’s Day—she was taken to the ER due to extreme weakness. Initial tests, including CBC, X-ray, and ECG, all returned normal, and doctors suspected Anastrozole as the cause. However, on May 17, she was rushed to the hospital again, this time via ambulance, after suddenly losing mobility in her left arm and leg. Once more, routine tests yielded no definitive answers. Doctors speculated that past chemotherapy, prior surgeries, nutritional deficiencies, or the Anastrozole itself may have contributed, leading her oncology doctor to stop the medication on May 20.

Despite ceasing Anastrozole, her symptoms worsened. Homecare and occupational therapy professionals conducted assessments and urged her family doctor to order a CT scan. But as the family waited for the doctor’s call, her condition fluctuated between brief moments of strength and prolonged weakness. From May 11 to June 1, she experienced persistent fatigue, headaches, loss of appetite, difficulty walking, and increasing left-side body weakness.

On June 1, during her third ER visit, the family insisted on performing a head CT scan. The results revealed a brain tumor, prompting her immediate transfer to Calgary for neurology consultations at Foothills Medical Centre, where doctors recommended urgent brain surgery. While a full-body CT scan showed no other tumors, an MRI confirmed the presence of the tumor in her brain. Surgery was deemed necessary to remove it—without intervention, her prognosis would be limited to just two to four weeks.

Now, Lucila remains at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, surrounded by her loving family, who continue to uplift her spirits, boost her confidence, and encourage her to fight. Relatives and friends visit regularly, offering their support. Despite their presence, she grapples with deep emotions—overwhelm, fear, sadness, anxiety—and the haunting question: why me?

UPDATE:

It has been a successful open brain surgery last Friday. Lucy still needs to stay for about a week for monitoring and pathology results. The family still needs our support as Lucy doesn’t have a Critical Illness insurance coverage, didn’t have work income since her first diagnosis and some family members has to pause work to support her. Any donation, big or small, will make a difference.