DUBAI A Filipino couple is seeking urgent help to save their premature baby fighting for life.
Rachelle Deguzman Parial, 32, and her husband, Leopoldo Parial, 30, who together earn Dh7,000 a month, say they have no resources left to fund the ongoing treatment for their second child, Leanne Grace, born preterm last December 22.
The newborn was originally due on March 15 but is currently battling general respiratory distress amongst a host of other conditions, including thrombocytopenia (disorder of platelets in blood) and clinical sepsis at a government hospital in Dubai.
“The hospital admin keep calling us everyday, asking for the payment but we have no answer,” says Rachelle who is a sales executive at a furniture shop in Dubai.
Cover costs
“Our baby has now spent more than a month at their Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where it costs Dh3,900 per day. Besides there are frequent laboratory tests and blood transfusions required.
“We would not be in a position to pay the hospital expenses even if we put our salaries together for several years.”
The duo have so far managed to pay only Dh10,000 to cover part of the C-section costs. They need another Dh6,000 to completely foot that bill plus at least another Dh234,000 to cover costs of Leanne’s expected two month stay at NICU, treatment and discharge.
“This month I was supposed to fly to the Philippines where I originally planned to do my delivery as my company health insurance does not cover maternity, but things were not in our hands,” says Rachelle who was rushed to the hospital on December 21 after she felt repetitive pain and contraction.
“I am a mother who is knocking on the doors of your hearts. Your financial assistance regardless of the amount would be much appreciated and would make a huge difference to our lives.”
Husband Leopoldo who works as a company driver on a Dh3,000 salary says the duo had not imagined they would be pushed to the extreme of begging for help. “Everything was going well till one day my wife had to be rushed to the hospital. What followed thereafter has been nothing short of a nightmare. We can’t bear the sight of our little angel going through so much pain,” says Parial, who has been living in Dubai with wife Rachelle for eight years. “Please help us rescue our angel.”
The baby, currently weighing just less than a kilo, is on ventilator and oral feed.
If you wish to help the family, please write to editor@xpress4me.com
