Amid the COVID pandemic, a 27-year-old mom is asking for help to fight a rare disease.
It has been a mystery why 27-year-old Katrina Vinuya has been in and out of the hospital. In the last quarter of 2019, she would occasionally feel restless, and her legs would start to cramp. She then experienced excessive hair loss and originally thought it was just vitamin or mineral deficiencies, so she tried her best to have a well-balanced diet. Her digestion eventually slowed down and she got herself tested at the hospital for possible diseases, but the results were all normal.
In March, her gums and lips started to get numb and she would occasionally feel this on her feet and entire body. As days progressed, she also had difficulties maintaining her balance, and got tired easily. She then had a series of tests done and they all came back normal.
Katrina and her family were left clueless about why she was feeling that way despite having normal test results. She was rushed to the emergency room when she felt tremors inside her body and couldn’t move parts of it.
After months of tests and different doctors, Katrina was told she had the possibility to have pheochromocytoma, a very rare tumor on the adrenal glands.
According to Katrina, she has already asked different doctors, personalities, and government agencies for help; but since many are currently battling the effects of COVID-19, she hasn’t gotten any favorable responses.
Based on her experience, many of her tests can only be done at St. Luke’s Endocrine Center, which would prove to be very costly for her and her family.
We asked Katrina if there is any family history of the disease and she said that it was the first time she had heard of pheochromocytoma. However, she also mentioned that some of her family members had suffered from cancer. Now, she and her husband are finding ways to afford to fight the rare disease.
Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders is helping her run a fundraiser for her to gather funds for her medical expenses.
You can help Katrina by donating to the fundraiser here: Help for Young Mom Fighting for Her Life During the COVID Pandemic
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