July 25, 2024 – Today, I together with some of her friends and former colleagues found out that Christine is battling Stage 3 Breast Cancer.
“As we learned from Christine’s husband, Julius, Christine noticed a lump on her breast sometime in 2023 while working in Seychelles and had it checked there at that time. After checking her up, she was told it is unlikely anything serious. Life went on as regular for some months and she has then decided to relocate to Dubai to be with her husband. While in the Philippines in the latter part of 2023, she felt the lump again and it bothered her a little so she decided to have it checked and maybe taken out. Her doctor elected to have biopsy first. December 2023 – she was given the diagnosis of Stage 3 Breast Cancer. Christine and her family immediately went on survival mode and decidedly started Chemotherapy. Thankfully, Christine is young and healthy and was tolerating the treatment fine. Just 14 days ago though, a complication has appeared, Christine is retaining water in her brain. Doctors are yet to find out if this is a complication of the cancer or because of an undiagnosed TB Meningitis. As of now, she urgently needs a surgery to relieve her brain of swelling and then continue fighting her cancer.”
Days and years might have passed without us having a direct communication but I still know Christine as well as when we have been working closely together back in 2013 in the Maldives.
A stand out beauty with a bubbly personality – of course, we all clicked well with her.
We lost touch, yes, but thanks to Facebook, I get to have a glimpse of some of the highlights of her life – getting job promotions, finding the love of her life, enjoying time with her family, traveling the world.
And for some years now, whenever I see an update from her, the silent anticipation of “Is she making the baby announcement?” was always at the back of mind. I’m sorry Christine to have to share this silent thought in here. But can we please get you back On Script? The same one in my mind? And I am sure, the same one on all your friends’ minds too!
Fighting Stage 3 Breast Cancer physically is already too difficult so we, your friends and the people who know you, would like to be a crutch that will help you stand up and get back on track in the life story that you wish and imagine to live for yourself.
To those who know Christine, if you are able to help, we have set up this Funding Page which is linked directly to her husband Julius Ibanez’s bank account to alleviate the difficulty of Christine’s current journey. Let us all rally behind her and be that extra power to supplement her already unrelenting bravery in this fight against cancer.
We will try and update this page as often as possible. We understand that we all would like to find out what is happening presently but maybe having second thoughts to connect directly as the Christine and her family are already facing a lot.Thank you all in advance,
Joanna, Anna, Angelines and Christine’s Anantara Maldives Mafia family on her Behalf