Zyrus Deri

Zyrus volunteered for the first time in our Christmas Event in PGH. He is also our current website programer.

I met Jodel Joyo as we were partnered with kids. He has cancer. Jodel is the youngest among Ate Emily’s three sons and at the age of 7, has already been diagnosed with cancer. He has been struggling with ITP* and epilepsy since he was one. According to his mother, they almost lost him last month when the symptoms started to re-appear and he was held at the hospital for 15 days. Unlike other kids that day, Jodel is less shy and is more active. He was very persistent in making his first parol, which he named the “King Parol.” He even danced Oppa Gangnam Style along with three other kids!

When Kuya Harvard asked why is Christmas important, he immediately shouted “Jesus” and that for me is very inspiring. Most kids would want to have something material, but what he wanted is infinitely better. One thing I would never forget about our conversation was when we started to bid farewell and then I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up. His response was, (in Filipino) “I just want to live.”

Funny how we take our lives for granted but this 7-year old kid already knows how to value his. It’s silly how we struggle to keep adding “stuff” into our lives while others are barely asking to have one. This Christmas, may we be reminded of the more important things that would make the lives of those around us more bright and meaningful.
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* Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a bleeding disorder in which the immune system destroys platelets, which are necessary for normal blood clotting. Persons with the disease have too few platelets in the blood.