At a young age of 16, Charity was a notable and passionate student leader in Bukidnon. Leadership for her meant “making sure that everybody from the team knows their destination and personally cared for them while managing all the work to hit the marks”. However, one afternoon during her chemistry class in August 2018, she felt a swollen lump in her throat and later had it checked.
“I laughed”. That was Charity’s immediate response when the doctor told her she had cancer. It was the only thing she felt she could do at that moment. Charity was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma.
What is Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma?
Papillary thyroid carcinoma is considered as the most common type of thyroid cancer (80% of the cases) due to radiation exposure.
The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower front of the neck, is responsible for producing hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism and other functions. If not treated accordingly, it can cause nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, missed or light menstrual periods, and other related health problems.
The most common symptom is a presence of a solid, irregular or cystic mass. It is more common to females than males by a 3:1 ratio. Its survival rate is at over 90%. However, metastasis, the spread to other areas in the body, may happen and is uncommon.
Medical experts evaluate the patient and usually propose surgery as a direct treatment. A thyroid lobectomy, also called hemithyroidectomy (removal of half of the thyroid gland) is common among young patients aged 20 to 40 years old. The other surgical option is called thyroidectomy or the total removal of the thyroid gland which is suggested especially when neck lymph nodes are involved.
“Two of my lobes in my thyroid were removed”. A month after Charity was diagnosed, her doctor performed thyroidectomy to remove the tumor from her neck. She lost her voice for one month as the tumor latched on her vocal nerve. She had many complications that she needed to go back to the hospital after two weeks for proper monitoring. To make sure that there’s no recurrence, she underwent Radioactive Iodine Therapy (RAI).
Radioactive Iodine Therapy (RAI)
RAI is a treatment for hyperthyroidism and certain types of thyroid cancer that damages or destroys the thyroid cells.
The medicine is taken by the patient through an oral capsule to destroy any remaining thyroid tissue. Patients are advised to drink lots of water after taking the pill so that the remaining radioactive iodine will be flushed out of the body system.
“I had to drink a pill that was so radioactive and people had to wear protective pieces of equipment when nearing me”. It was hard for Charity during her therapy season. She was isolated for five days as she had to stay 30 meters away from people.
Coping with an Advocacy
It has been three years now and Charity is still under monitoring for any possible recurrence. She is maintaining a medicine to keep her hormones balanced and some supplements (Calcium and Vitamin D) to ensure that her body has enough of them.
“I’m getting better and better as years and months go by, and that’s a big thank you to the therapy, procedures, and medicines I took and went through”. Everything was overwhelming for a 16-year-old Charity but she was eternally grateful for what her family, friends, and medical professionals and staff did to save her life. Charity believed that being with her family and getting all the support that she needed from them held her on surviving.
“It all started when I was sitting on the hospital bed and being isolated from everyone for the first time”. Charity was physically and mentally exhausted. She felt lonely and sad.
However, she was determined to survive like how she won challenges being a leader. Her experience was pivotal in becoming a mental health advocate. She wanted to share her narrative of resiliency and hope to the 3.6 million Filipino youth who are battling against mental health issues.
With this, she was chosen as one of the Mental Health Youth Coaches of the National Youth Commission (NYC) of the Philippines. She is also committed as a volunteer of Halad to Health, a not-for-profit organization based in Australia that pushes for United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) 3 and 10: health and well-being, and reducing inequalities within and among countries.
“I feel elated seeing their positive response to our development programs”. As the Program Manager of her organization, Charity focuses on providing mental and reproductive health education programs and platforms among the youth and school guidance counselor or designate in Bukidnon together with her organization. This solidifies her advocacy in championing mental health well-being of the youth sector.
For Charity, she is still too young and has much to learn but she shares a message “to take a rest and pause in between the moments whether you advocate for something or not” and for her fellow survivors to “continue to hope for a better tomorrow even if you are struggling to live”. (Efren Leo John Aribal, MSDC-II)
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