A 15-year-old girl from Camarines Norte is now undergoing dialysis after her kidneys failed, allegedly due to years of consuming processed food and excessive soft drink intake.
Vanessa, who has been diagnosed with Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), shared how her eating habits contributed to her condition.
“Malakas na talaga akong kumain noon pa man. ‘Pag nasa school ako, ‘yung mga kinakain ko ‘yung mga junk food, mga hotdog pati de lata po. Hindi po ako mahilig magtubig. Iba ang lasa ng tubig, parang hindi fresh,” she said in a Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho Facebook post.
Despite being active and feeling healthy before, Vanessa started experiencing fever, cough, weight loss, and weakness. Eventually, she struggled with shortness of breath and fatigue.
“Nu’ng sinabihan ako na kailangan akong i-dialysis, umiyak ako. Masakit po kasi. Pakiramdam ko nawala ‘yung pagkabata ko,” she added, expressing her fears about the costly treatments her family struggles to afford.
Her mother, Gemalyn, also recounted her daughter’s eating habits, saying, “Madalas po talaga siyang kumain ng instant noodles at uminom ng softdrinks. ‘Yun talaga madalas niyang kinakain sa labas ng school. Kasi maraming nabibiling ganoon.”
She remains hopeful despite the difficult situation. “Masakit po bilang magulang na kailangan nang i-dialysis ‘yung anak ko. Ang bata pa po niya! Sana humaba pa ang buhay niya. Nandito lang naman kami nakasuporta sa kanya. Mahal na mahal namin siya.”
With more Filipinos, including younger individuals, being diagnosed with kidney disease, experts are raising concerns over lifestyle choices and dietary habits.
Find out more about this alarming trend in the full episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho this Sunday.
