At the recent 16th year celebration of ChildHaus, Hans Sy excitedly announced that he would be building a center in Cebu for the children of Visayas and Mindanao area. Under the help of Ricky Reyes, the facility will have a livelihood-training program for the parents of those children being assisted by ChildHaus.
Sy envisions having an outlet where mothers can sell commodities from their livelihood projects. Reyes, on the other hand, is so glad to say that as of date, ChildHaus has reached out to more than 17,000 children and adult beneficiaries for the last 16 years, with the center boasting of very little mortality.
Over at ChildHaus, the children gets good medical attention, proper nutrition, good living condition, spiritual and moral guidance, and the support of volunteers from the private sectors.
Here are someof the most inspiring stories of children ChildHaus has assisted:
Sython Rinos was only six months old then when he was rushed to Tacloban Public Hospital. He was vomiting and his face, hands, and legs had shown blue discoloration. Two months later, baby Sython suffered a seizure and found needing a heart surgery.
Baby Sython was born in Javier, Leyte to a 25-year-old farmer, Elton John and housewife Syrin. With no resources, the couple sought the help of their town mayor, Sandy Javier, who in turn mediate his case to ChildHaus. But due to his weak condition, Baby Sython’s surgery has to wait until he’s strong enough for a heart bypass operation. Sleeping with an oxygen machine by his side, Baby Sython was given proper medical care and nutrition at ChildHaus with both his parents looking after him. Now, after 11 months of nurture at ChildHaus, Baby Sython, who is now in a stable condition, is ready for his chance at the Philippine Heart Center.
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Aliya Sayler was only 13 year old when she was diagnosed with Leukemia. She was bed-ridden and very weak when she was brought to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). She needed to undergo eight cycles of chemotherapy and two sessions of bone marrow aspiration (BMA).
Coming from a humble family in Indang, Cavite, traveling between Manila and Cavite for the treatment proved to be too difficult for the Sayler family. They were then sent to seek help at ChildHaus. There she received free medical care, board and lodging.
After completing the treatment, she was again committed to undergo a second eight cycles of chemotherapy and another two sessions of BMA. The series of treatments made her feel better and Aliya is now cheerful and had shown a positive attitude. She now actively participates in most activities in the center.
ChildHaus became Aliya’s home for three years while her parents take turns to see her through. Aliya is turning 17 years old and is now ready to leave the center that treated her like a family. Aliya was given leg braces, a gift from ChildHaus for her easy mobility. She is now required only a few more visits to PGH for continuous health monitoring.
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The crowd applauded cheerfully for the 1st runner up of Miss Teen Matacon in Bicol. She was Ronalyn Bataller from Polangui, Albay, a family breadwinner, fighting stage 4 cancer.
Three years ago, she was diagnosed with lymphoma, underwent an ovarian surgery and given by doctors four months to live. That heartbreaking news however did not dampen her spirit and instead resolved to fight to survive for the sake of her two siblings.
Ronalyn was only 5 years old when her mother died. Her father, a farmer, remarried after a year and left them to live with his new wife in another town. Ronalyn, together with her two younger siblings were left under the care of their grandparents. Her father occasionally send them money but oftentimes not enough.
As if to compound Ronalyn’s Anguish, an unfortunate incident hit Ronalyn harder when a strong typhoon smashed their town and destroyed their house. It led to the eventual demise of her grandparents. Ronalyn knew then that she needed to remain strong and do something for the siblings to survive. On their own. She would then take odd jobs in the neighborhood, babysitting and offering to cook for her neighbors.
Ronalyn blossomed into a pretty girl at age 15. She would often get invited to join local pageants and would gladly compete just to earn money. One day she fell ill and was brought to Bicol Provincial Hospital where she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with only four months to live. Her well-meaning friends brought her to PGH in Manila but only to confirm the findings of the doctors at the Bicol Provincial Hospital.
Facing a grim future, Ronalyn sought the help of ChildHaus.
She is now 19. Strong, with character and determination to survive she becomes an inspiration inside ChildHaus, acting as big sister to the afflicted children at the center. Her story did not go unnoticed that some good Samaritans from GMA Entertainment Group gifted Ronalyn with a sari-sari store for the sibling to operate in the province.
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ChildHaus, now on its 16th year churns out a lot of inspiring stories; stories of survival, stories of sacrifice, the joy of giving and loving, and of perseverance that will surely test the human spirit as evidenced by the life stories of Ronalyn, Sython, Aliya and many more children at ChildHaus. Thanks to the determination of Ricky Reyes and SM’s Hans Sy, the two selfless frontrunners of ChildHaus, that children like Ronalyn, Sython, and Aliya are given another chance in life. With the help of volunteers coming from the different sectors of the society, ChildHaus continuously lend a helping hand to help the afflicted and in need.
The center is just too grateful to find another angel in the person of the young tycoon, Hans Sy, who would stop at nothing for the welfare of the sick children of ChildHaus. From out of his own pocket Hans Sy built the first center in Diliman, Quezon City to provide the temporary shelter for children with cancer and subsequently built a seven-story building on Agoncillo Street in Paco, near the Philippine General Hospital. Beneficiaries of ChildHaus are just as grateful for the enormous help and assistance that they are receiving from Hans Sy.