Ubay, Bohol – Through decades of extensive charity work, Tzu Chi Foundation founder, Dharma Master Cheng Yen had fathomed that poverty and illness are like twins. People fell ill because of poverty, and conversely, poverty prevents people from recovering from illness. This cycle creates a situation where poverty and sickness perpetuate each other.
At the height of COVID-19 pandemic and with the implementation of strict quarantines, 37-year-old Joan Boyles was enmeshed with making ends meet along with her husband Jojie, so they can bring home to their seventeen and eight year old sons, food on their table. Every day the couple would go around their neighborhood to sell ‘pandesal’ (salt bread roll) and ‘kakanin’ (Filipino native delicacies). However in 2021, Joan often fell sick and was followed by several other episodes of shortness of breath and weakness that compelled her to see a doctor. She was diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease and was advised to undergo open heart surgery to replace two of the main heart valves. Learning that a hefty amount is needed to get this treatment, she decided to forego, even the thought of getting the surgery.
Three years later, at the beginning of 2024, Joan started to throw up blood, had to continuously catch for breath, and found herself mostly lying down, feeling weak and has difficulty in walking short distances. She could no longer do household chores and take care of her family. Her husband quit his permanent job as a construction worker because he will have to rush home in between working hours when he gets a call from a relative telling him that his wife is not feeling well, when she vomits blood, or have difficulty in breathing. “It is so hard (life like this), whatever that is left of my earnings goes to buying her medicines.”, Jojie lamented. The couple knew that they had to do something and an acquaintance suggested that they reach out to Tzu Chi Bohol for help. “I want to seek treatment because my children are still very young, I still want to see my children grow up.” Joan tearfully said.
In March 2024, Joan was accompanied by her husband to Manila and Tzu Chi volunteers arranged for her consultation with several heart doctors and undergo further tests at the Philippine Heart Center. “She already have symptoms of heart failure, because both valves are obstructing the normal flow of blood”, cardiologist Dr. Norberto Tuaño revealed.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in the year 2020, 1,807 Filipinos have reportedly died due to Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)[1], a leading cause of heart disease in the Philippines. “It is a common heart disease in the country especially for the underprivileged because of an inadequate treatment of history of recurrent sore throat while young which causes the heart to develop some form of scarring and eventually the valves get damaged.”, explained Joan Boyles’ heart surgeon Dr. Zab-Niel Villanueva.
After running the tests needed, the results yielded another problem, the 3rd heart valve is damaged and had to be repaired surgically. “We have to replace the mitral and aortic valves. The tricuspid (valve) – it’s almost obliterated, we have to reconstruct the leaflets, using the patient’s pericardium (a sac that surrounds and protects the heart) – this is a very difficult procedure because it involves 3 valves (of the heart).” Dr. Villanueva continued.
Although the surgery was urgent, several obstacles had to be hurdled. Securing guarantee letters from government offices and institutions was challenging due to the high cost of the mechanical valves and the procedure itself. Additionally, Joan had to wait for a surgery schedule because of the long queue of patients at the Philippine Heart Center awaiting their turn to be operated. Nonetheless, two months later, Joan got scheduled and underwent 6.5 hours open heart operation on May 12, 2024.
Doctor Zab Villanueva (utmost right) performed a complicated surgery on Joan Boyles’ heart, replacing the mitral and aortic valves and repairing the tricuspid valve for 6.5 hours. Photo credit: Philippine Heart Center
[1] Philippine Heart Association, Treat Recurring Sore Throat as a Red, Gynna Gagelonia/Francis Cortes Retrieved from: https://www.philheart.org/component/content/article/7-pha-news/1046-treat-recurring-sore-throat-as-a-red-flag#:~:text=Rheumatic%20Fever/Rheumatic%20Heart%20Disease,is%201.81%20per%20100%2C000%20population.
Meanwhile, while all the medical work was happening in Manila, Tzu Chi volunteers in Bohol were preparing a surprise for Joan’s homecoming in Ubay. They discovered that her house was one of those damaged by Typhoon Odette, leaning precariously to one side and at risk of collapsing with another blow of a strong wind. Inside, it was hard to imagine how a family of four could fit. The floor served as their dining table during the day and their bed at night. Further information gathered during the conduct of a home visit by Tzu Chi volunteers was that the family had to borrow the use of a toilet from nearby relatives and cook their food on the soiled ground outside their house.
These were never mentioned by Joan and Jojie during Tzu Chi’s several interview and conversation with the volunteers. All Joan repeatedly uttered was that she wanted to live and be with her family when she recovers from her illness, “I want to establish a small business so I can help my husband. Our life is tough, never easy and full of hardships”, she weepingly said. Her husband shared the same desire, “I love her and it pains me to see her like this, I want her to get treated, so we can be together to start our life anew”.
Moved by the couple’s selflessness and non-materialistic aspirations, Tzu Chi Bohol Happy Home project team stepped in, assessed, and mobilized the construction of a new home for Joan and her family.
A month after Joan’s surgery, she went back to see her doctors, where they expressed their gladness for a successful surgery and her swift recovery. “Fortunately, Tzu Chi Foundation was behind Joan’s journey. She is maintained on medications now and is on her way to a good healthy lifestyle. Here, we can see that we can still save lives with the help of good Samaritans like Tzu Chi Foundation”, said Dr. Tuaño. “Congratulations Joan for your happy heart and thank you Tzu Chi Foundation! appreciate the help you extended to our patient, because this is an expensive procedure.”, exclaimed Dr. Villanueva. After which, they cleared Joan to fly back home to Bohol.
Joan Boyles’ one month post operative consult with Dr. Tuaño. “Everything is looking good for Joan. She has quickly gained weight”, remarked Dr. Tuaño.
“The patient is now okay, functional class 1 to 2, she can now ambulate, and can resume doing household chores”, said Dr. Villanueva during Joan Boyles’ one-month post-operative check-up.
On June 30,2024, Joan, Jojie and their youngest son took the flight back to Bohol. Thinking that everything was for documentation purposes, they went along with the Tzu Chi volunteers meeting them at the airport, provided dinner and billeted them at a nearby hotel to stay for the night.
The next morning, Tzu Chi volunteers met them again at the hotel and transported them for a three-hour drive to their home in Ubay. Joan and Jojie were taken aback when they saw a new house built and unveiled in front of them.
According to their 17-year-old son, Russel Stephen, at their old house, they would eat standing up due to lack of space, and water goes inside their home when it rained. “I felt sad and I miss my parents since they left me alone here for months. My grandmother who lives nearby would watch over me but I’m mostly on my own. I thank Tzu Chi for all that you did for my mother, for the successful surgery and her recovery, I am immensely thankful to God for the new house you (Tzu Chi) gave our family, we can all move freely now”, Russel said. With the newly built home marked in a stainless plate, Happy Home 133, Russel Stephen can now cook inside their house and have their own toilet to use.
“I thought that all the assistance from the airport to the hotel stay to the drive here were all for the video (documentation). I also thought that maybe Tzu Chi would like to ensure my wife to safely go home. I did not expect that this would be the surprise (Happy Home), I felt bad (for myself) because this (having a home) is my responsibility for my family, but it was Tzu Chi who provided it for us.”, Jojie said, embarrassed. “Tzu Chi’s help is different and unique. They were with us from the beginning, they never left us. We not only got the medical help for my wife, but were also blessed with a new home. The help extended went beyond and hastens to change the course of our lives”, Jojie continued.
Tzu Chi volunteers went back to visit the Boyles family last November 14,2024. For four and half months since the happy home was accorded to them on July 1,2024, it was a sight to behold, seeing that the family had stood back up and living comfortable lives. Joan can now move around taking care of their household and soon she will be trying to look for a job. Jojie has gone back to his old permanent job at the construction site. They were slowly paying off their debts too. Their eldest son will soon be graduating senior high school and their youngest, well, enjoying what most children their age do.
“When we needed help, we had Tzu Chi in mind. Now Tzu Chi is forever etched in my heart, even if I am not around in this world anymore, I will never forget what Tzu Chi has done to me, for me and my family. Tzu Chi gave me a second chance to live, I will cherish this life. No words can express my utmost gratitude to Tzu Chi. I am forever indebted to them”, an emotional Joan declared.
Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s steadfastness have driven Tzu Chi’s mission to provide medical care and humanitarian aid around the world, aiming to break the poverty-sickness cycle by addressing both health and economic needs simultaneously in which the fervent teachings of Master Cheng Yen to Tzu Chi volunteers is to nourish compassion and action in alleviating the suffering and to eventually to uphold well-being for all.
