Remember the 6-year-old girl from Cebu who only weighed 7 kg? This is her now.

A six-year-old girl from Bantayan Island, Cebu, who has suffered from malnutrition and weighed only seven kilograms, is now on her way to recovery.

According to a “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” episode, Ranelyn lost so much weight that her cheeks sank and the outline of her ribs became visible. At seven kilograms, she was just as heavy as a seven-month-old baby.

Jerelyn Ariola, Ranelyn’s mother, said her daughter used to be healthy until she began losing weight when she was four years old.

The mom said Ranelyn liked wearing dresses, but had been avoiding these because she was ashamed.

Ranelyn’s favorite was the polka dot dress given by her grandmother Rosalinda. Since she got sick, she had not been able to use the dress but she’s keeping it and hoping she would get better so she could wear it again.

Jerlyn said her daughter wasn’t shy, but since she got sick, she was afraid she would get bullied by other people.

Ranelyn also lost the energy to eat. According to her family, she ate only about three spoonfuls a day. Her brother Jerome also revealed that she had been ingesting sand.

The young girl wanted to be a teacher, but because of her sickness, she had lost any ambition she had for herself.

“‘Pag tumitingin ako sa aking anak naninikip talaga aking dibdib. Nakatulala ako rito palagi,” said Jerlyn.

[My chest tightens when I look at my daughter. I just feel so lost.]

She said at night, she would check on Ranelyn and wake her up to make sure that she was still alive.

Raul Almodiel, her father, lost his job since the pandemic started. He said they wanted to have Ranelyn treated by a doctor, but they didn’t have money.

According to Dr. Parolita Letlet Misyon of the National Nutrition Council, the hunger situation in the country has increased “compared (to) pre-pandemic period which was 8.8%.”

“With the pandemic, (it grew to) 16.8%, so from 2.1 million, (it became) 4.2 million families,” she said.

“Talagang nakulangan ng pagkain. Madami rin na walang trabaho, walang pera pambili.”

[People really ran out of food. Many also lost their jobs and had no money to buy food.]

Finding help

Peter Mark Velganilao, who messaged KMJS about Ranelyn’s condition, thought of helping her after finding out she was on the brink of death.

After seeking help from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, he sent Ranelyn’s story to KMJS.

Learning about her condition, the municipal social welfare development office gave a referral to a hospital and sent her antibiotics.

With the help of KMJS, Ranelyn was finally admitted to a hospital in Lapu-Lapu City, which was six hours away from Bantayan Island.

After careful examination, the doctors said Ranelyn had severe malnutrition caused by intestinal parasitism. They also said her oxygen level wasn’t good.

The doctors gave her supplements for “two years” worth of micronutrient deficiencies. “Halos two years po ‘yung binabawi natin,” said pediatrician Dr. Pearl Joy Sendaydiego.

After several weeks, Ranelyn slowly started getting better and gaining weight.

Dr. Sendaydiego said after her treatment, Ranelyn had a 46% weight increase and now weighed 9.5 kilos.

She said the young girl now has fats and muscles, and has become “very conversant.” Ranelyn is also now able to walk and stand up on her own. Her appetite has also improved.

After almost one month at the hospital, Ranelyn was finally able to return home and wear her favorite dress from her Lola Rosalinda.

“‘Lola oh, lola oh,’ sinasabi niya habang sumasayaw. Kanyang pina-headband ang kanyang buhok, tapos aking nilagyan ng maliit na hair pin,” said Rosalinda.

[She said, “Lola, look” while she danced. She asked me to put a headband on her hair and I added a small hair pin.]

Inspired by Ranelyn’s case, the hospital and the rural health unit of Bantayan Island launched a deworming and health kit program for children.

While Ranelyn has overcome severe malnutrition, many more children in the Philippines continue to face this life-threatening condition.

For those who wish to help, here’s the Department of Health’s hotline for food and health assistance for malnourished children:

(02) 8651 7800

—Kaela Malig/RC/MGP, GMA News