A Letter for Everybody

Dear Sir / Ma'am,
A child is God's Gift to us. He / she is brought into this world to have a special place and to grow for a certain mission. He/she is to be nurtured and taken cared of... to be showered with love and affection and most of all to be healed when afflicted.

Great joy and excitement filled our hearts on the birth ofour beloved, little angel named Shyra on December 5, 2008. She is the second child of Grace Ceril Salvacion Abrenica Orogo and Richard A. Revillame. Shyra is a very healthy baby, at the time of birth weighing 3.8 kgs., only to find out on the third day that the baby has a mass on the right part of the buttocks. The pediatrician and neurologists (Dra. Remojo and Dr. Gerard Salazar) in Lucena City told us that they suspect that Shyra has meninggocele and would be best to consult a neuropediatrician specialist at the Philippine Children's Medical Center at Quezon City.

Check up done by the pedia - nueurologist (Dra. Malen H. Ortiz), pulmonologist (Dr. Cabanilla), Neuro Surgeon (Dra. Ibe Sih) and Urologist Dr. David Bolong made us understand the urgency of having an immediate surgery. Our hearts broke down when our brave little andel withstood the pain of six hours fasting and being anaesthetized fo the MRI. The MRI gave us a clear picture of what is happening to her and paved the way on how the doctors will handle her case. The MRI result showed that the baby has low lying spinal cord terminating at the L5 S1 level, where the neural placode is noted at be tethered against the fatty component of a lumboscral lipomeningocele. An immediate surgery to prevent irreversable dameades(i.e. meningitis, kidney problem, inability to walk......) as the baby grows. As early as now, the urologist found that the effect is already seen in the urinary bladder not releasing all the urine the normal way. if not operated on, her kidneys might be completely damege by age 5.

We are knocking at your beloved heart to extend whatever assistance you could offer, particullarly yor prayers for shyra be able to live a normal and happy life.

May God Bless you always for your grateful and kinderheart!

Very Truly Yours,

Grace and Richard
Parents