John Ryan "JR" de Guzman

I occasionally watch the Richard Gomez-hosted game-show, "Family Feud". But today's show was extra-special because the challenger team was headed by a special person - John Ryan "JR" de Guzman from Pampanga.

I first met JR de Guzman on September 30, 2006. At that time, our daughter Yam just had her bone marrow transplant and it would take about 14 days for her new marrow to produce her own blood. She needed massive blood transfusion and we were scouring the whole of Metro Manila for friends and acquaintances who could donate blood. My son John, a member of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Fraternity, got hold of an APO directory that included the members' contact numbers. He texted more than 50 of them.

Among the few who responded was JR. He braved the aftermath of typhoon Milenyo and travelled all the way from Pampanga to Asian Hospital in Muntinlupa to donate his life-saving blood to a child he doesn't know. He arrived at about lunch time, lined up for screening with other potential donors, and eventually had platelet extraction through an apheresis machine by evening time. His travel, queueing, screening, waiting and extraction took him more than 14 hours. We had him in for the night where we were staying and that time served as our only bonding time. After breakfast the following day, we brought him to SM-North Edsa where he waited for his bus back home.

JR and my son John maintained communication after that. When Yam passed away, we informed him about the loss of his "kadugo". Though we never had the opportunity to be close to each other, we always felt a special affinity to him.

So, when John mentioned that JR and his family will challenge the family that won Php1.65M in Family Feud, we were excited. I came home early and didn't get out of the house anymore to make sure I watched the episode. And I didn't regret. The de Guzman family won handily over the Grande family. And they won the Php150k jackpot in a dramatic fashion - scoring exactly the last 10 points needed to win the jackpot at the last question.

The de Guzmans return tomorrow (March 12) to defend their crown, and hopefully to win more in the game. We're happy for JR and his family. Above all, we're happy to see on-TV-screen a person who helped extend the life of a child he didn't know - our daughter, Yam.

Thanks and thanks again, JR. May you have a fruitful, happy life.

UBUWUTKZBBQL

Francis M

When news about Francis Magalona having leukemia broke out last August, I was one among many who followed the development on his condition. By October, I began to regularly peek into his multiply sites, "A Free Mind" and "FrancisM's Happy Battle". After he spent 43 days in the hospital going through chemotherapy and battling sepsis, septic shock and pneumonia, I was so happy to read that he was discharged for Christmas at home.

In early January, his wife Pia read practically all the postings in this site, wading though Yam's own battle with the same type of leukemia that her husband is battling. We communicated a few times and encouraged each other in our own predicament.

Last Friday, I overheard Francis' name mentioned in a noon-time news flash. I was saddened to know his body gave up. I was hoping he'd get through homeopathic stem cell transplant (bone marrow transplant) that may cure his blood disorder.

Today, as I read through the transcript of Ricky Lo's interview with Pia, I immediately had goose bumps. Deja vu. Yet, lessons learned form such an ordeal are enough to propel each family member to face life, better armed and better equipped.

Good bye Francis, yo!!! You'll meet Yam where you go, yeah!!!