THE FIGHT OF ANGELITO: A STORY OF AN 8-YEAR BATTLE AND ENDLESS HOPE

"AS LONG AS THERE IS LIFE, THERE IS HOPE. YOUR PATH MAY HAVE BEEN DARK AT FIRST, BUT NEVER EVER FORGET THAT AT THE END OF IT, A LIGHT IS WAITING FOR YOU."

MY NAME IS ANGELITO PAMINTUAN MALLARI. I AM 21 YEARS OLD. AT AN AGE WHEN MOST CHILDREN ARE JUST PLAYING, STUDYING, AND CAREFREE, MY WORLD COMPLETELY SHIFTED. I WAS BORN ON JANUARY 12, 2005. BUT AT THE TENDER AGE OF 13, BACK IN 2018, I WAS GIVEN A HEAVY CROSS TO BEAR: I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD) STAGE 5 GLOMERULONEPHRITIS AND HYPERTENSION.

EIGHT YEARS. FOR EIGHT LONG YEARS, I HAVE BEEN A DIALYSIS PATIENT. HOSPITAL WALLS, MEDICAL TUBES, AND NEEDLES BECAME A REGULAR PART OF MY YOUTH.

OUR FAMILY AND THE ANGELS IN MY LIFE

FIGHTING A CHRONIC ILLNESS IS NEVER A LONELY BATTLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST ONE PERSON IN THE FAMILY. MY OLDER BROTHER JHAY IS ALSO A CKD WARRIOR WHO HAS BEEN UNDERGOING DIALYSIS FOR SIX MONTHS NOW. OUR PARENTS ARE LEONILA N. PAMINTUAN AND THE FATHER I DEEPLY LOOK UP TO, ANGELO T. MALLARI. HOWEVER, EVER SINCE I WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED AT 13, OUR ELDEST BROTHER, JOHN YAMBAO, AND OUR OLDER SISTER, JENALYN PAMINTUAN, HAVE COURAGEOUSLY STEPPED UP TO ACT AS OUR PARENTS AND PROVIDERS, LOOKING AFTER US ALONGSIDE OUR YOUNGEST SISTER, ANGELICA.

I HAVE WITNESSED EVERY OUNCE OF SWEAT, EVERY SLEEPLESS NIGHT, AND EVERY SACRIFICE MY ATE (SISTER) AND KUYA (BROTHER) HAVE MADE JUST TO SUSTAIN OUR MEDICAL TREATMENTS. WANTING SO BADLY TO EASE THEIR BURDEN, I TRIED TO FIND A JOB. I APPLIED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I FAILED EVERY SINGLE TIME BECAUSE NO ONE WOULD HIRE ME DUE TO MY HEALTH CONDITION. IT HURTS, BUT I REFUSE TO LET IT BREAK MY SPIRIT.

BEYOND MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY, I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE WHO—EVEN THOUGH WE AREN'T RELATED BY BLOOD—HAVE CONTINUOUSLY EXTENDED THEIR HANDS TO HELP US. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. YOU ARE A TRUE BLESSING FROM THE LORD.

THE DREAMS I CARRY IN MY HEART

DESPITE MY CONDITION, I STILL HAVE SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO DO. I HAVE BIG DREAMS:

I WANT A LONG LIFE SO I CAN SPEND MANY MORE YEARS WITH MY FAMILY.

I WANT TO GIVE BACK TO MY ATE, KUYA, AND TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME, TO REPAY ALL THE SACRIFICES THEY'VE MADE.

I WANT TO WORK AGAIN, AND SOMEDAY, I WANT TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE EXACT SAME SITUATION I AM FACING TODAY.

A CALL FROM THE HEART: MY KIDNEY TRANSPLANT JOURNEY

TODAY, I AM HUMBLY KNOCKING ON YOUR HEARTS TO JOIN AND SUPPORT ME IN MY NEXT MAJOR BATTLE—MY KIDNEY TRANSPLANT JOURNEY.

WHETHER IT IS A SMALL OR LARGE AMOUNT, I WILL ACCEPT YOUR HELP WHOLEHEARTEDLY BECAUSE IT MEANS THE WORLD TO MY JOURNEY TOWARD GETTING A NEW KIDNEY. EVERY BIT OF SUPPORT BRINGS ME ONE STEP CLOSER TO HEALING AND FULFILLING MY DREAMS.

MORE THAN ANYTHING, I HOPE YOU WILL ALSO INCLUDE ME IN YOUR PRAYERS. THERE IS IMMENSE POWER IN PRAYER, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD IT GETS, THE LORD IS ALWAYS WITH ME AND WILL NEVER LEAVE MY SIDE.

A MESSAGE TO KEEP IN MIND:

ALWAYS BE KIND. KINDNESS COSTS NOTHING. YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH BURDEN AND STRENGTH SOMEONE IS CARRYING QUIETLY.

TAKE NOTE: "MY HOBBIES ARE DOING MAKEUP AND FILMING TRANSITION VIDEOS ON TIKTOK BECAUSE THESE BRING ME JOY. I ALSO LOVE WEARING FASHIONABLE CLOTHES, AS I WANT PEOPLE TO SEE ME AS SOMEONE WHO IS POSITIVE AND BRIGHT AND I WANT TO INSPIRE OTHERS.

THESE THINGS ALSO HELP BOOST MY MENTAL WELL-BEING. MY SITUATION IS VERY DIFFICULT THOUGH — IT IS HARD FOR US NOT TO ABSORB NEGATIVITY, ESPECIALLY FROM PEOPLE WHO JUDGE OR CRITICIZE US. WE GET HURT EASILY, WE TEND TO OVERTHINK, AND IT CAUSES US SO MUCH STRESS. BUT JUST LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I WILL KEEP FIGHTING AND I WILL JUST IGNORE THEM."

"ALL THE FUNDS I WILL GATHER FROM YOUR DONATIONS WILL BE USED FOR MY TRAVEL TO MANILA TO GO TO THE NKTI HOSPITAL, AND TO START COVERING THE COSTS OF THE REQUIRED PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTS. PLEASE PRAY THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE SUCCESSFUL."

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL ABUNDANTLY!