While there is life, there is hope
Patient Stories Series
(No. 57)
At 25 years old, on what should have been an ordinary birthday, Nerry T. Janapin received news that would change the course of her life: she had been diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
Long before leukemia entered her life, Nerry had already learned what it meant to carry heavy responsibilities. As the eldest of four siblings, she left school while still in high school to help support her family and began working as a factory worker.
Later, as a young mother to two sons, she worked hard to provide for her own family. The demands of work, motherhood, and family responsibilities had already tested her strength. Her leukemia diagnosis brought an entirely new battle.
Living with CML has not been easy. There are days when fatigue, fever, body pains, and other challenges make even ordinary responsibilities difficult. Yet Nerry continues to do what she can for her children and partner, often putting her family's needs ahead of her own.
She has also had to navigate medical consultations and treatment, sometimes going to hospitals and appointments by herself. Nerry was enrolled as an EPCALM-serviced patient in July 2022. Through the years, the Foundation has become an important part of her support system, providing assistance and a community where she can find understanding and encouragement from people who know what it means to live with leukemia.
Confronting her fears, uncertainties. One of the most meaningful relationships Nerry found through the EPCALM community was a friendship with another leukemia patient who understood her struggles. When her friend eventually passed away, Nerry was devastated.
The loss made her confront her own fears and uncertainties and, for a time, she struggled to see hope for her own future. But the love of her family and her faith in God helped her find the strength to rise again. Although her faith has sometimes been tested, Nerry continues to pray, seek God's guidance, and surrender her worries to Him.
Today, Nerry chooses to look forward. She hopes to regain her strength, continue caring for her family, and someday return to her studies through the Alternative Learning System (ALS). More than anything, she wants to enjoy life with her partner, Edwin, and her two sons, Ethaniel and Prince Enzo, and make the most of every day.
Life goes on despite… Her journey has taught her that strength does not mean never feeling afraid or weary; sometimes, strength simply means choosing to continue despite them.
“Magpatuloy lang at lumaban, dahil habang may buhay, ay may pag-asa.” — Keep moving forward and keep fighting, because as long as there is life, there is always hope.
For Nerry, leukemia is a difficult part of her story, but it is not the whole story. She remains a daughter, a partner, a mother, and a woman with dreams for the future. Supported by her family, encouraged by the EPCALM community, and sustained by her faith, she continues to face each day with courage.
Her story is a reminder to fellow leukemia patients that even when the journey feels lonely and uncertain, there is always another reason to hold on—and while there is life, there is hope. (By Franchet Audrey Gwen C. Flores, Sophia Isabelle G. Gamba, Arienne Frances O. Garcia, Danes Britney L. Jimenez, and Maria Kathleen Grace C. Mendoza).
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
As a non-stock, non-profit organization, EPCALM Foundation relies on the generosity of compassionate individuals and organizations to bring hope and meaningful support to adults living with leukemia and their families. Beyond the physical challenges of the disease, patients often face overwhelming financial, emotional, and spiritual burdens. No one should have to face these challenges alone.
Your donation can make a life-changing difference. It helps us extend essential assistance, provide comfort in times of uncertainty, and remind leukemia patients and their families that they are not forgotten—that there are people who care and are willing to walk alongside them throughout their journey.
Every gift, regardless of its amount, brings us one step closer to making hope possible. Together, we can ease their burdens, strengthen their resolve, and help them face each new day with renewed courage and faith.
Will you join us in giving hope to our leukemia warriors?
To make a donation, you may choose any of the following methods:
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