Singapore – Lawyer Isabelle Claisse promised to shave her head for her Filipina maid’s son who has cancer.
Isabelle Claisse treated her maid, Mariza Canete, for six years like a family. When she found out that the youngest son of Mariza Canete was diagnosed with bone cancer, she immediately offered for help since the family of Canete can’t afford the treatment.
On January 13, the corporate lawyer plans to raise funds through shaving her entire hair. According to Claisse, it’s ultimately challenging for her to become bald especially in his workplace but Canete is very important to her.
Dave Calba, son of Canete don’t even have a health insurance to help with the expenses. Doctors found a tumor located in Dave’s left last October after suffering from severe pain.
PHOTOS: ONG WEE JIN, COURTESY OF MARIZA CANETE/THE STRAITS TIMES
Claisse together with his British husband turned for public help to raise funds amounting to P4, 686,150 (US$ 100,000) for hospitalization and surgery fees. So far, they already raised P304,599 after campaigning from different charity platforms.
This Jan 13, they hope to raise more funds in a bar at Boat Quay. At 10pm, Claisse and Canete, together with a friend, Adam Reynolds will be auctioning the chance to shave heads for a minimum contribution and other activities.
No target amount has been set but they are eager to raise a total of P664,217 (US$ 20,000)
Claisse met Dave when they went to Singapore last year to celebrate Christmas with his mother and Claisse’s family.
Claisse described Dave as a cheerful young boy who’s in love with sport. But after undergoing three chemotherapy and blood transfusions, the boy is now on wheelchair.
Other people call Claisse and his husband “crazy” for helping their maid but according to the lawyer, Mariza was like their family. She thinks that it’s a moral imperative to help the young boy.
Canete is back to the Philippines to be with her son when he goes for surgery this coming Jan. 26. She said that she’s totally touched by her employer’s effort to help her. She added that Claisse never treated her as a maid, instead, she treats her like a sister.
