By Liwayway Yparraguirre
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – There’s more uplifting news for a 46-year-old police officer who recently underwent a kidney transplant.
Staff Sgt. Virgilio Sanchez was handed PHP100,000 in cash by his fellow Pangasinan police officers to assist with his medication and other necessities.
The funds were gathered from a shooting competition and personal contributions from police chiefs across the province.
Malaking tulong sa amin para sa pang-araw araw na gamot niya, lalo na ang mga ito ay anti-rejection (This is a huge help for his daily medication especially since those are anti-rejection medicines),” she said.
Although the transplant was a success, the battle against renal infection continues.
Myrna said her husband’s kidney problem was discovered in 2021. For two and a half years, he underwent regular dialysis.
“Dialysis was said to prolong the life of the patient but there was no guarantee to it. From stage three, his condition elevated to stage five since his two kidneys were already non-responsive to medication. Somebody convinced us to consider kidney transplant,” she said.
They started looking for donors in June 2021.
Sanchez has been in the police service for more than 20 years now. His last assignment was at Binmaley Police Station.
The PPPO began Project CARES (Compassionate Act towards the Recovery and Encouragement of the Sick) in 2023.
Among their fundraising activities, the semi-annual shooting competition has benefited 21 officers to date.
“Napakalaking bagay (ito) para sa ating mga kasamahan na umaasa lang sa sweldo nila. Wala silang ibang income. ‘Yung financial support na ibibigay natin ay makapagpatawid uli sa kanila ng ilang buwan (This is a huge help for our colleagues who rely solely on their salaries. They do not have other sources of income. The financial support they help them can get them through several months),” Fangel said. (PNA)
