Marriage conflicts, divorce, loss of job, critical illness, death of a loved one, are some of the stressful life events that most people face. No one is immune to fear, but in times of desperation, let us remember that we have God. Allow me to share an inspiring story of a child with hemophilia.
 |
| Sagada, Mountain Province |
I had the privilege to interview Kristian Lanzar, the very first wish kid recipient of Make-A-Wish. Kristian openly shared his struggles battling with hemophilia, a type of blood disorder. People with hemophilia take longer than normal for bleeding to stop. There is no cure yet for this type of critical illness but there are ways and treatment to manage complications.
 |
| Kristian Lanzar (in blue shirt), the 1st recipient of Make-A-Wish |
Make a Wish, Kristian!
Kristian was a 10-year old boy back then, suffering from hemophilia, a medical condition that causes him to bleed severely at the slightest injury. His wish was to sing a song to the world. His dream was fulfilled in time for the millennium celebration when he sang with Regine Velasquez and 2,000 other children at the grand fountain of The Peninsula Manila. A momentous event not only for Kristian, but also for all the kids who are fighting against critical illnesses. It was broadcasted live via satellite to 60 countries.
 |
| Kristian Lanzar age 4 (Photo from the video uploaded by notdcrab) |
He can still remember where exactly he stands during the performance and how it all started. Kristian revealed to us that the wish was just a "spur of the moment". Suddenly, I was reminded of the many "spur of the moment, wishes and prayers" whispered and were granted all because of God's grace.
 |
| Regine Velasquez performs during the New Year's eve together with 2,000 children (Photo from the video uploaded by notdcrab) |
Pain became part of his life but despite the challenges, Kristian learned to live with it. He went to school and enjoyed collecting toys. One of his fond memories is being the recipient of Make-a-Wish. As he tells this story, it felt like I was brought back to more than ten years ago when he performed and sang to the world. Surely, it was a wonderful experience not only for Kristian and his family but also for thousands of children who performed that New Year's eve. Indeed, a wish granted!
The wish to sing to the world did not end there. Many firsts came, Kristian was sent to Arizona to speak with Make-A-Wish International. There he met Chuck Norris and other Hollywood stars. Until now, I felt the excitement as he tells his travel story in United States, a wonderful experiences he can’t imagine. This was all made possible with Make-A-Wish, the first and only non-profit wish granting organization in the country, with the mission of creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Thriving and Surviving
With the holiday season in full swing, the rest of the country may be feeling care-free and busy. Sometimes, we also forget people who need us the most. Chronic illness has somehow clouded my experience of Christmas. For the past three years, someone in the family has been diagnosed with cancer and it hurts me to see them in pain. But I was moved by Kristian's story of hope and strong faith.
Watch this short inspiring video.
@womanindigital #MakeaWish, Kristian! 💫 Choosing #Faith over Fear: Kristian Lanza’s Story Living with #Hemophilia. His wish was to sing to the world and it was fulfilled in time for the millennium celebration when he sang with @reginevalcasid and 2,000 other children at the grand fountain of The Peninsula Manila. #WriteToIgnite #Inspiration ♬ Inspiring
"Hemophilia is a lifetime condition," says Kristian. “I make sure to be mindful and careful of myself. I am just grateful that I am still here and alive, believing there’s a purpose.” He recalled frequent hospitalization and extreme body pain because of his condition. But despite many school absences, he finished school well.
 |
| Kristian Lanzar managing Hemophilia |
He also shared fond childhood memories spending Christmas in the hospital and meeting Santa giving presents to kids in the hospital.
"Christmas is still Christmas even though I'm in the hospital" he said. "I am a happy go lucky person, pero deep inside I am also hurting," he added. But with the love of family, trials and pain become more bearable."
Now that he’s an adult, Kristian teaches kids in the foundation how to manage bleeding disorder with less strenuous activities. He taught them to memorize this pneumonic RICE - rest, ice, compress, and elevate. Hemophilia is not curable, but it can be managed with medication and prevent complications. Kristian is right when he said, "It's better to know your condition, so you know how to live with it."
Choosing Faith over Fear
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
"To my fellow Make-a-Wish Kid, if there's doubt and questioning why you are sick, just be strong. You really need to make your faith stronger, with the love of family and faith in God. Believe in yourself and believe in the Lord. They still have the purpose so trust in the Lord."
Kristian has been working with a tech company for almost 10 years now. Outside work, he spends his time with Hemophilia Advocates - Philippines, an organization advocating people with hemophilia. Being a homebody, his hobby is collecting action figures such as X Men.
Through talking with Kristian, I have learned that it is vital to accept pain and not to fight it. Pain is not just physical. There's pain that’s deep within us. There’s pain that makes everyday life too heavy to carry. Maybe we feel there should be something deeper to our pain - a meaning or symbolism, if you will. So how do we continue to live life with purpose?
 |
| La Virgen Del Pilar Zamboanga |
"Wish do come true, if we only wish hard enough"
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Share your comments and reaction.