Pinay cancer survivor in UAE beats COVID-19

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A 46-year-old doughnut store manager from Digos, Davao del Sur, who has survived breast cancer years ago but has sustained a mild pneumonia resulting from chemotherapy sessions, has pulled through from another threat in her life: COVID-19.

Brenda R. Fondevilla, who arrived in the UAE in 2005 and now works in Al Ain, said she first tested positive on June 10 but subsequent tests on June 12 and 16 came out negative.

Fondevilla, whose husband, a former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Dubai who now drives a tricycle for a living back home, needed two consecutive negative COVID-19 test results to be declared free from the disease.

“Hindi ako natakot. Galing nga akong cancer. Wala naman akong nararamdamang kakaiba,” Fondevilla said.

Her COVID-19 ordeal started when a house mate, Jennifer Tolentino Trinidad, a sales lady, tested positive twice a few weeks after reporting back for work when restrictions were lifted and shops started to re-open around May 4.

“Bago kami nagbukas, pina-test kami ng management for COVID-19 kasi yun po ang patakaran ng Abu Dhabi Municipality,” Trinidad said.

She said she tested negative during the first round, but the second test came out positive. She said she could not be sure whether she got it at the shop or from commuting to work.

“Hindi ko lang sure kasi nagba-bus din ako papasok sa work and taxi pag-uwi,” Trinidad said. She again tested positive but later on also got her two negative results.

There were four occupants in the house including Fondevilla and Trinidad. The two others tested negative as well.

Fondevilla said she and the two other occupants immediately went for a COVID-19 test upon learning about Trinidad. She and Trinidad were on a 14-day home self-isolation as of press time.

Fondevilla said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and went under the knife in November of the same year. In 2013, she started undergoing chemotherapy in 16 sessions and 25 radiation sessions, she said.

Health authorities put her on close watch owing to her underlying medical condition.  “Meron daw akong konting issue with pneumonia na long-term side effect ng chemo,” she said. --KBK, GMA News