“I don’t know where my son would be without them. Isabelle doesn’t treat me like a helper, she treats me like a sister. There’s nothing more that I could have asked for.”
The Straits Times reported on corporate lawyer Isabelle Claisse, who plans to shave her head in a fund-raiser for her maid’s 10-year-old son.
Ms Mariza Canete has been Ms Claisse’s maid for the past 6 years.
Her youngest son, Dave Caba, started complaining of constant pain in October 2015, leading to doctors in Philippines discovering a tumour in his left leg. The cost of surgery and hospitalisation is estimated to be around S$140, 000.
The operation will remove the tumour in Dave’s left shin bone, and replace the bone with an implant with an estimated success rate of over 80%.
The surgery is scheduled to take place on Jan 26 and without it, Dave could die.
When Ms Claisse found out about the situation, she decided to step in and help.
Ms Claisse and her husband, 41-year-old Robert Driver have started a crowdfunding campaign on Generosity.com and has since raised US$11, 000 for Dave.
Next week, on 13 January, Ms Claisse, Ms Canete and family friend, Adam Reynolds will be at a fund raiser event at Harry’s, a bar at Boat Quay. There, they will be auctioning off the chance to shave their head to guests at 10pm.
The event is open to the public, with a suggested minimum contribution and offers activities such as a pub quiz and and auction.
When asked about it, Ms Claisse mention that, “It is a good way to raise awareness about cancer, even though it would be challenging to be bald at my workplace in a corporate environment. Mariza is very important to us”.
Dave was described as a cheerful and mischievous boy who loves sports who is forced to use a wheelchair now.
Ms Claisse is aware that the target sum of US$100,000 will be a difficult amount to reach. The couple are prepared to fork out the remaining sum if they cannot raise enough funds, even if it means taking on debt. Others have remarked that it was “crazy” to go to such lengths for their helper.
Ms Claisse’s response?
“I can’t imagine the alternative of saying, no, ‘I’m not going to give you money, your kid’s going to die.’
She added, “A lot of people will probably think I’m soft about it, but it feels like a moral imperative to me to do everything I can.”
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