JEDDAH — The spirit of teamwork among overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Jeddah has helped an ailing baby finally receive potentially life-saving medical treatment. The nine-month-old boy, suffering from a tumor in his stomach, is now in intensive care a day after he was admitted to a hospital last Tuesday. Ayah Ferrer, one of the concerned community members helping the boy, told Saudi Gazette that the baby is in a critical condition and has suffered respiratory problems. According to her, a blood transfusion is needed for the baby before his surgery in the next few days and she expressed happiness at the willingness of people to step forward and donate blood. The story of the baby's plight caught the attention of Filipinos in the Kingdom after the community group Kaagapay ng Bawat OFW posted his story and appealed for help on Facebook. The boy's parents, who both had no medical insurance, approached Kaagapay last month seeking help due to their financial difficulties. Kaagapay immediately asked the Philippine Consulate to help. With the combined effort of concerned Filipinos and the consulate headed by Consul General Uriel Norman Garibay and Head of the Assistance to Nationals Section Vice Consul Jim Minglana, the boy was finally admitted to the hospital.
