August 16, 2009

Hope at the House of Hope

16 August 2009, Sunday. Two days ago, I received an invitation to the thanksgiving lunch of the House of Hope (HoH) at the Davao Medical Center (DMC). I was so elated and immediately accepted the invitation and thought what little thing I can bring. After all, I expected to see kids with cancer with their parents or caregivers and the little thing I can bring might just give the kids their day's "simple joy".

The occasion was the House of Hope's second anniversary. HoH was built as a transient dwelling for cancer patients and their parents. Dr. Mae Dolendo, oncologist at DMC, who spearheaded the building and operational management of this edifice, describes HoH exactly what its name says. Cancer patients from far places come to DMC for treatment and usually never return because they have nowhere to stay and no money for lodging in between treatments. When HoH was built, it bridged a gaping chasm by providing a temporary accommodation for patients who, otherwise, couldn't afford to rent a place. The two year statistics of transients says a lot about HoH's success (http://docmae.kidsofhope.net/).

My wife and I arrived to the lunch date just on time, bringing balloons to the cancer kids. There were some 15 to 20 of them, all beaming with glee at the sight of guests coming. They were all over the place, some helping in the registration and welcoming the guests. Their innocent smiles conjure life and a hopeful future. And as the guests, who are all supporters arrived, they appeared more excited.

During and after lunch, my wife and I engaged another guest and her husband into a hearty conversation. We were glued to an hour of sharing, though I took some moments to get to know some of the HoH staff. The guest is a cancer survivor. And her story is a testimony that cancer can not steal life and living and can even make it more meaningful.

We are happy at how the House of Hope brought much hope to the hundreds it housed in the last two years and the hundreds more in the future.


We are happy at

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