Since she gave birth to her daughter Judy Ann, 36-year old Lorena Canlas never ceased to pray for a miracle. The young girl who is now seven years old was born with a hole in her heart.

As Judy Ann grows older, her condition worsens. Her recent work-ups revealed that the hole is about three centimeters big. She needs to immediately undergo surgery which will cost around half a million pesos.

But Canlas admits that with her husband’s meager income as a farm helper in Bulacan with four more children to feed, they are clueless as to how they can save their daughter’s life.

Like Judy Ann, five-year old Mark Kenneth Candes was also diagnosed with congenital heart disease. His mother Analyn Bagispas discovered his condition when he was just three days old.

“Sinabi po sa amin ng doktor na kailangang ma-operahan ni Kenneth. Problema lang po talaga namin ang gagastusin sa operasyon,” Annalyn said.

Annalyn had already lost her two other children. Her eldest son succumbed to death when he was six months old in 2009 due to dehydration caused by diarrhea, while her youngest son passed away when he was just five days old due to complication brought about by epilepsy.

“Si Kenneth na lang po ang natitira sa akin kaya inilalaban ko po talaga na humaba pa ang buhay niya. Gusto ko na po sana siya ma-operahan sa lalong madaling panahon,” Annalyn tearfully said.

Fortunately, both Lorena and Annalyn’s prayers for their children had been answered. Judy Ann and Kenneth were chosen by the National Children’s Hospital (NCH) as two of their indigent patients who will receive a free heart operation through the help of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corportion (PAGCOR).

The NCH was PAGCOR’s beneficiary on the 4th day of its Pamaskong Handog 2015 project. The state-run gaming agency donated P3-million to NCH to fund the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

According to NCH Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul, with the P3 million grant PAGCOR can help “save the lives of around 30 children with congenital heart diseases.”

“We may be able to finally operate on Judy Ann and Kenneth who both have Ventricular Septal Defect or a hole in the heart as well as patients with Patent Ductus Arteriosus or those with an opening between two major blood vessels connected to the heart. Our goal is to extend the children’s lives and help them live normally,” Simbul said.

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento who graced the event thanked NCH for allowing PAGCOR to extend help to its patients. “Masayang-masaya ang PAGCOR para sa oportunidad na ito na makapag-bahagi kami ng blessings sa inyo. We are very happy and proud to say that PAGCOR is one of the corporations with the biggest Corporate Social Responsibility Projects that are able to reach out to many less fortunate Filipinos all over the country.  I-pagdasal niyo po na maipag-patuloy pa namin ang aming ginagawa,” Sarmiento added.

Established in 1945, NCH is a public hospital whose funding comes mainly from the government. Simbul, who has been with the institution for 30 years, said most of their patients come from indigent families who could not afford private hospitalization.  “Eighty-five percent of our patients here ay iyong mga masasabi mo na hikahos talaga sa buhay. Kaya napaka-gandang balita na makakasama kaming muli sa Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR,” she added.

The NCH previously benefitted from the PAGCOR Pamaskong Handog 2012 where the state-owned gaming firm granted P1.78 million for the improvement of the hospital’s hematology ward area that caters to children with life-threatening conditions like cancer.

Apart from the P3-M cash donation, PAGCOR also treated about 100 patients and hospital staff to a Christmas party.  They also received special Christmas gift packs containing noche buena items. The beneficiaries were likewise entertained by singer Luke Mejares along with PAGCOR homegrown talents Joyce Tañaña and the PAGCOR Voice Symphony.

Simultaneous with the gift-giving in NCH, PAGCOR also spread Christmas cheer to over three hundred orphans, indigents and persons with disabilities from four charitable institutions in Cavite.

The beneficiary institutions include the Affairs Office for Persons with Disability in Carmona, Cavite; the Casa Dei Bambini Giuseppe orphanage and St. Anthony's Boys Village for indigent boys, both in Silang, Cavite; and the Bahay San Rafael Home for Special Children in Amadeo, Cavite.

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