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IAMRAFI: Life Is Precious
The Story of Emmylou Quilaton Cabonilas, Cancer Survivor
By Marco Paulo Trajano Deligero | October 16, 2018
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Emmylou was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes. And with the help of her family and friends, and continuous chemotherapy and radiation therapy, she is now cancer-free for almost five years.
A Happy Childhood
Emmylou, or Melot to her close friends and family, grew up in Dumanjug, Cebu, where her father comes from. Her mother, who was from Dalaguete, passed away in 2017. Her father retired in 2009 after working for the local government unit of Dumanjug as the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator for 33 years.
Emmy finished her Business Administration degree at the University of San Carlos then took up Law at the University of San Jose-Recoletos in 2008.
Emmy considers her childhood as happy and memorable, as she grew up loved and protected. She is single and has four older brothers and a younger sister and brother, all of whom are married. She currently works as an online-based English translator.
“I have to train myself to be content and still manage to earn on a daily basis; I am content and happy if I could take care of myself, as long as I am clean and tidy I am content,” she said.
“And with my earnings, I could take care of my nephews and I can buy those toys that they want,” she added.
On Being Diagnosed With Cancer, Misdiagnosed
In 2014, at the age of 33, Emmy was diagnosed with cancer.
“There was one time when I discovered something on the right side of my neck, I thought it was goiter, and adding that I had dry cough for almost two months prior, I immediately submitted myself for check-up,”
Aside from the check-up on her thyroid, the doctor requested her to have an x-ray.
“It turned out that I had no goiter, but the doctor found a mass in my x-ray results, so he requested me to have a CT scan as soon as possible,”
The plain CT scan result could not determine if it was thymoma or lymphoma (these are diseases in which malignant (cancer) cells form). The doctor told her that if further tests show lymphoma, she needed to undergo chemotherapy; if it showed thymoma, she needed to undergo a major surgery. Thymoma showed in her test results, so she underwent surgery in May of 2014.
Emmy shared that the procedure included a thoracic surgeon opening her chest, and confirmed that she had controllable stage 3 malignant thymoma.
“Upon learning of the result, nitulo ra akong luha (I just cried) because it’s cancer, I thought I was going to die,” the law graduate said.
After a month, she was admitted for her first chemotherapy. Her doctor then informed her that she had curable stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes, which further meant that from 6 chemotherapy sessions she now had to have 12.
“I was misdiagnosed, I now have a scar and wires on my chest because of the painful operation where they needed to open my chest,”
“One of the doctors told me that it was the pathologist who made [a] mistake.”
She also shared that there were times when she felt so weak that even opening a bottled water was a difficult task for her. Thankfully, she has gained back her strength and can do the usual household chores.
Support From Family, Friends
One of the things that eased her pain was the support of her family and friends during those trying times.
“Supportive man kaayo akoa family and friends, labi na sakong treatment period, (my family and friends were very supportive, especially during my treatment period),”
Emmy shared that help and blessings poured into her during her treatment. She is grateful to the people who helped her, particularly the late Esperanza “Inday” Garcia, former president of Cebu CFI Community Cooperative (CFI).
“I didn’t have money for my major operation, she allowed me to avail of a loan of any amount, kung pila gastuhon nako sa hospital, nga mugawas ko nga walay bayranan (based on how much I needed to pay for the hospital expenses, that I would not have to pay for anything else when I was discharged).”
Emmy shared that there was a time when she posted a plea on Facebook for financial support for her treatment, and support rushed in from family and friends, from former Dumanjug mayor Nelson Garcia, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
“I was blessed to have a loving family and good friends, my law classmates were very supportive of my battle including my high school friends in Carcar,”
“It was not an easy journey but with good people around, they have helped me cope, thanks be to God!” Emmy shared.
Mental Health, Depression, Suicide Attempt
Aside from her battle with cancer, Emmy had other battles to conquer including family and personal problems, which led her to experiencing clinical depression. It was so bad that she became skinny and bald, could not sleep well, experienced a nervous breakdown, and even committed suicide.
“I even reached a point where I committed suicide because I cannot handle the problems anymore, but fortunately, I did not die. And my parents brought me to a mental health institution to seek assistance,”
Turning Point, New Life
Emmy shared that those difficult moments were turning points in her life where she decided to fight, instead of quit.
“I decided I should fight because there was a reason why I was still alive despite my suicide attempt, and then I eventually realized that I was and am loved,” she happily shared.
In December 2015, Emmy started joining church-based organizations, with the help of the Famor family of Dumanjug who would bring her to seminars and trainings on leadership in Cebu City and in Manila.
But in April of 2017, Emmy lost her mother, and she decided to stay in Dumanjug for good where she pursued her passion in cooking. Now, she’s makes puto cheese and other delicacies.
Emmy and Her Journey to Healing
Emmy said that Luzviminda Melegrito, a Municipal Social Worker who was her workmate in Dumanjug and also happens to be a cancer survivor, led her to know about the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-EJACC).
“Accommodating man kaayo to ang naa didto sa office sa Cupsi, without hesitation ning tabang gyud sila sako last chemotherapy, (the staff in the RAFI-EJACC office in Cupsi building were very accommodating, and without hesitation, they helped me with my last chemotherapy),” Emmy shared happily.
Emmy and Her Life Motivation, People Who Matters
After her mother died, she took on the responsibility of taking good care of her three-year-old nephew John Francis Niño.
Emmy shared that with her battle with cancer; she realized how short life is not to spend it with your loved ones.
“Even if I am not materially wealthy, I am wealthy with hugs and kisses from my nephews and nieces, I want to see them grow up and witness their successes in life,”
“I am so grateful to them for being God’s Gift to me, too many to mention but they know who they are in my life,”
Emmy is now working double-time as an online seller, and cooking and selling goodies such as Puto Cheese.
Emmy also shared her gratefulness to her parents who took care of her especially during her difficult chemotherapy sessions.
“Special mention to my father, Feliciano Cabonilas, Sr., and to my late mother, Carmen Quilaton Cabonilas who took care of me when I was so sick, when it is supposed to be me taking care of her,”
Emmy shared what happiness means for her.
“For me, happiness is being content, and I have found that happiness through the love and support of my family and friends.” #IAMRAFI
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