Remember that 6-year-old kid who went viral in 2019 for using a tire pump as makeshift nebulizer for her dad, doing her best to pump the improvised medical device to make her asthmatic dad feel better? Sadly, she is not the only one who faces a similar situation.
Recently, an 8-year-old kid went viral for using a tire pump as makeshift nebulizer. But instead of using it for his dad, the kid actually needs it for his own medication!
Lee Begnotea, 8, has bronchial asthma which makes it difficult for him to breathe normally at times, especially when certain he feels tired or gets exposed to triggers, such as allergens. When that happens, his father has to continuously use the tire pump for 5 to 10 minutes so that that boy could inhale the medicine from the nebules and get better again.
Although they would have wanted to have a real nebulizer for their son, Lee’s parents have to use to the tire pump because they didn’t have money to buy the medical device and there is low electricity supply at their home.
But a medical specialist said this is not safe at all. They still need a real nebulizer to make the child better.
“Kasi minsan, sumasama yung anak ko sa trabaho. Wala namang kuryente doon. ‘Yun, dinadala ko yung bomba. Pag inatake, nahirapan siya ding maghinga…Hindi naman mahirap kaso kailangan bantayan,” explained Noel Begnotea, Lee’s father.
What’s sad is that the boy could not spend a lot of time playing with his friends due to his condition.
“Nasasaktan kami para sa kanya dahil bata siya. Hirap sa sakit niya, hindi naman niya gusto,” admits Babielyn Begnotea Lee’s mom.
After their story went viral, the family received much-needed help from netizens through Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. A number of netizens pooled their money to buy the kid a nebulizer while non-government organization (NGO) provided him with medicines.
Lee also received scholarship from a private sector. Those who are still interested in sending help to the family can do so through this account:
FIRST CONSOLIDATED BANK – ABUYOG, LEYTE
ACCOUNT NAME: NOEL C. BEGNOTEA
ACCOUNT NO: 054-1001-001235-4
Watch the heartbreaking episode here: