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A BRAVE eight-year-old schoolgirl has died after a battle with cancer.
Sophie Barlaan succumbed to complications arising from acute leukaemia at the Our Lady of the Pillar Medical Centre in Imus City, the Philippines, on Tuesday.
The GDN had reported in October last year that the Filipino girl was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a cancer of the lymphoid line of blood cells with symptoms including exhaustion, pale skin colour, fever, easy bleeding or bruising, enlarged lymph nodes and bone pain.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have to inform that Sophie Denise has already gained her wings to heaven. No more pain and suffering. She will be forever an eight-year-old that we dearly love. Rest in paradise. You are now finally free and happy forever. You will be forever missed and remembered,” said an Instagram post by her father, Dennis, who works in customer relations for a Bahrain consultancy, and mother, Sherlyn.
Following the report in the GDN, readers had rallied together to raise funds to help the family meet the medical expenses, and Sophie had thanked them from her hospital bed.
“I want to thank the people of Bahrain, from all nationalities, for their support as well as the heartfelt messages I have been receiving since Sophie’s ordeal began,” Mr Barlaan told the GDN yesterday.
“We have now lost our only child and I don’t know how to move forward.”
In July, Sophie appeared to be recovering and regaining her strength, but last month she started feeling tired and restless.
However, when Mr and Mrs Barlaan tried to admit her to hospital, she tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19).
Once she recovered from Covid-19 and her test result was negative, her parents immediately tried to have her admitted.
But the hospital was at full capacity, and by the time she was finally admitted, it was too late.
She died two days after being admitted to the intensive care unit.
She will be buried on Saturday beside her great grandmother, Marcelita Ramos, after a three-day mourning period.
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