My husband and I were on our way to church the morning of June 12 when we were informed about Dra. Tupasi's death. By the time I read that message on my phone, I was reminded how Dra. Tupasi made it possible for me to experience celebrating my 6th wedding anniversary that day together with our firstborn child.
My best memories of Dra. Tupasi is composed of the times when she would visit the clinic and attend patients' general assembly where I learned she was a TB survivor herself. I was inspired on how she used her experience as a patient in pioneering MDR TB treatment in the Philippines along with integrating her idea of quality healthcare. Iba ang alagang Tropical Disease Foundation. When I was referred to TDF, I was diagnosed with having extensively drug-resistant TB. It was TDF that became my 2nd home during my 18-month treatment. It was TDF who gave me employment for the first time 5 years from the time I passed the CPA board exam and they employed me even when I was still on-going treatment- no stigma and no discrimination at all in the workplace.
I will always remember Dra. Tupasi for her passion, dedication, willingness to help, and her sense of fighting spirit. I will never forget the time when I met with her and Dr. Gler the following day after I was diagnosed to have relapsed 6 months after I was declared cured from XDR-TB. I was devastated because of the uncertainty of me surviving the disease the second time around. It was a relapse case of XDR-TB and there’s no new drug that can be given to me, how could I be hopeful? Gusto ko pa sana munang magmukmok but then Dr. Tupasi never wasted any time and instructed me to go to TDF. She already had a plan for me.Suot ko ang N95 mask ko at umiiyak na tinanong ko sya, “Doc, mamatay na ba ako?”. Ang sinabi nya sa akin, “Huwag kang umiyak. Kaya natin ito. Lalaban tayo” and then the rest was history.
Today, I’ve been TB free in the past 8 years, happily married for 6 years, and is now a mother of a 10-month old baby girl. I went back to school after I got treated from XDR-TB and earned my MBA degree. I have been employed in international NGOs that implement USAID-funded projects that supports the National TB Program. I am taking pride of these achievements because of Dr. Tupasi and TDF.
Because she cared, I am alive.
This is how her passion, dedication, and kindness impacted my life and I am just one of the many patients whose lives were touched by Dra. Tupasi.
Sa lahat lahat ng naitulong nya sa akin at sa madaming tao, nanatili pong mapagkumbaba si Dra. Tupasi. Nung minsan nagtext
ako ng birthday greetings ko sa kanya at pinasalamatan ko sya sa lahat ng ginawa nya para sa akin, ang sagot nya sa akin, "You owe me nothing. Wala kang dapat ipagpasalamat sa akin."
Sa pamamaalam po namin sa inyo Dra. Tupasi, dala namin ang mga munting binhi na ipinunla ninyo sa bawat isa sa amin kalakip ang mga mahahalagang aral at halimbawa ng pagkalinga sa bayan na nagsisimula sa pagtulong sa kapwa natin na nangangailangan ng walang hinihintay na kapalit.
Sa pamilya po ni Dra. Tupasi, ako at ang pamilya ko, kaisa ng lahat ng mga pasyenteng natulungan nya, kami po ay nakikiramay at nakikidalamhati sa inyo. Walang hanggang pasasalamat po at panalangin ang alay namin sa inyo. Maraming salamat po.