Ex-Saipan worker seeks help for kidney transplant

A former employee at Kingfisher Golf Links for five years is seeking monetary donations from the community to help defray the cost of a kidney transplant set for April 20 in the Philippines.

Ramia Jaramillo, 32, was diagnosed with end stage renal disease in June 2008 while still working as a waitress at Kingfisher Golf Links.

She was seven to eight months pregnant when diagnosed with the disease. Her hospital bills at the time were paid for by her employer.

On June 28, she went home to the Philippines for treatment until her work permit expired in November. She has since been on hemodialysis twice a week.

Dr. Concesa B. Cabanayan-Casasola, attending nephrologists at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Manila, said the institute is contemplating kidney transplantation to improve Jaramillo’s quality of life.

The total expense is estimated at $28,333 or some 1.36 million Philippine pesos.

These include recipient and donor work up, P100,000; kidney transplant operation inclusive of rooms, laboratory tests, operating rooms and oral medicine, P450,000; anti-rejection injections, P460,000; and professional fees, P450,000.

Josie Cunanan, an employee at Kingfisher Golf Links, yesterday said the National Kidney and Transplant Institute already found a matching kidney for Jaramilla.

“She sent me and her sister [Raingie] a fax message requesting for financial assistance for this purpose,” she told Saipan Tribune.

Raingie Jaramillo, the patient’s sister, said they greatly appreciate any donation for her sister’s kidney transplant.

Donations can be made payable to Rustan’s Foreign Exchange, which will assist in expediting remittance to the Philippines. A donation box is also placed at Rustan’s Foreign Exchange in Chalan Kanoa.

Cunanan and Raingie Jaramillo said they are also happy to pick up any donation. They can be reached at 322-1100 or 484-0792.

For those who wish to send their donations directly to Ramia Jaramillo in the Philippines, her address is: #79 Saleng Tayug, Pangasinan, Philippines.

“We issued receipts for all financial assistance that we received in the past for her dialysis treatment and showed it to Ramia to give her additional strength that there are a lot of people who wish her well and who are here to help her,” said Cunanan.

Yesterday, Cunanan provided a list of those who earlier helped pay for Jaramillo’s dialysis in the Philippines due to end-stage kidney failure.

They included Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, Finance Secretary Eloy S. Inos, the Philippine Consulate General, Kingfisher Golf Links management and staff, Nick and Rea Leon Guerrero and MCV staff, Joven and Precy Cruz and Rustan’s Foreign Exchange staff, Paul Cielo and family, Sonny Flores and family, Robert Correa and family, Raymond Vergara, the Mission Connection Christian Ministry, and the Upper Room International Christian Ministry.

The management and staff of the following companies also previously helped Jaramillo: CTSI Logistics, National Office Supply, Horizons Inc., Tropex Garden Co. Ltd., JPC Security Services, Le Queen Printing Inc., Elite Printing/RJL, Saipan Tribune, Pacific Trading, Saipan Carport, Pacific Islands Club, FGC Company, and Landscapers Micronesia.