26/03/2026
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ข๐๐ป ๐ช๐ฎ๐: ๐ ๐ช๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ, ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ป ๐ข๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ
Amid the constant surge of patients in the hospital, Nurse Jonna Juan, 40, had long understood what it meant to care for others. Assigned to heal, to comfort, and to stand beside patients in their most vulnerable moments, she carried her profession with both skill and compassion.
But nothing in her years of service could fully prepare her for the moment when care would no longer be confined within hospital walls, but would instead begin at home.
In 2023, her husband, Wibon Juan, 42, was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5. From then on came long and exhausting weekly hemodialysis sessions, a routine that reshaped their daily lives. In those moments, Jonna was not only a wife. She became his primary caregiver, carefully managing his medications, monitoring his diet and fluid intake, coordinating his treatment schedule, and ensuring that every aspect of his care was attended to with precision and compassion.
As a nurse, Jonna understood the clinical weight of the diagnosis. As a wife, she felt its emotional toll even more deeply.
In 2024, Jonna was invited to an orientation on the hospitalโs kidney transplantation program and encouraged her husband to attend with her. It opened a door to a possibility they had not fully considered before. Together, they explored potential donors, first turning to immediate family members and relatives. One by one, each option was ruled out, as none met the required criteria.
With her medical background, she knew she could still be considered as a donor even without biological relation, provided she passed the necessary compatibility and screening requirements. It was not an impulsive decision, but one grounded in knowledge, reflection, and unwavering commitment.
She stepped forward.
โ๐๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฌ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฑ๐ข๐ฑ๐ข๐ข๐บ ๐ข, ๐ข๐ณ๐ข๐ฎ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ข๐บ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ.โ (Do not lose hope, we will do everything we can.) she told her husband.
As a couple, they formally expressed their intent to proceed. What followed was a long and demanding process. For nearly two years, Jonna and Wibon underwent a series of screenings, medical clearances, and evaluations. Each step required patience, strength, and resilience. Yet through it all, they remained focused on their goal.
Amid these challenges, one burden was eased. The transplant and post-kidney transplant services, including follow-up care after discharge, will be covered under the PhilHealth Z Benefit package. This allowed them to focus on physical and mental preparation without the added weight of financial strain.
On March 15, 2026, their journey reached a turning point. The kidney transplant was successfully carried out.
When asked why she chose to donate, Jonna answered simply, โ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ข ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐บ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ข ๐ต๐ช ๐ฑ๐ข๐ฎ๐ช๐ญ๐บ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ช ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ.โ (It is for my husband and for our family as well.)
There was no need for elaborate words. Her decision spoke for itself.
In the days that followed, healing revealed itself in quiet but powerful ways. Jonna noticed changes in her husband, not only in his physical appearance but in the way he carried himself. There was a glow, a renewed lightness, and a different outlook on life shaped by the gift of a second chance.
Even now, their journey continues. They remind each other daily to stay disciplined with their health, to follow what is allowed and avoid what is not, and to protect the life they fought so hard to reclaim.
This National Womenโs Month, as we honor the theme โLeading like the Babaylans, Filipinas!โ, Jonnaโs story stands as a living reflection of that spirit. The babaylans were not only healers, but women of courage who gave of themselves for the well-being of their communities.
In her own way, Jonna embodies that legacy.
She is a nurse who heals.
A wife who stands unwavering.
A woman who gave a part of herself so life may continue, for her husband, for her family.
And in that quiet, extraordinary act, the spirit of the babaylan lives on.
