Baby Dennis’s Journey

Baby Dennis entered the world prematurely in March 2023, arriving at just 28 weeks and weighing a mere 970 grams. His mother, Rizalie, encountered a harrowing situation during a routine checkup when her blood pressure readings spiralled out of control, unresponsive to immediate medication. To safeguard both Rizalie and Baby Dennis, doctors urgently recommended a C-section.

Merely three days after Baby Dennis’ birth, doctors found perforations through his large and small intestines, and critical surgery became necessary to create a stoma to facilitate his bodily functions. Baby Dennis required extensive monitoring in the NICU until June 2023. Presently, Baby Dennis undergoes stoma bag changes every one to three days.

The stoma was initially intended as a temporary measure until Baby Dennis reached the target weight of 4 kilograms, at which point surgery could be performed to close the stoma. Although Baby Dennis achieved this milestone in January 2024, his surgery was postponed to March due to a viral infection. Unfortunately, in March, he experienced severe diarrhoea and vomiting after pre-operation procedures, leading to a 10-day hospital stay, which involved the insertion of a tube into his nose to relieve his gastric ailments. The surgery has now been rescheduled for August 2024.

Supporting Baby Dennis’s Recovery

As a non-Singaporean, Baby Dennis’s intestinal stoma surgery is estimated to cost $32,014. In the event of complications, the expenses could escalate to $44,637*.

Ray of Hope aims to raise $44,637* to cover the maximum cost of Baby Dennis’s surgery. In the absence of complications during the surgery, any surplus funds from this campaign will be allocated to post-surgery care, including follow-up appointments, medications, and medical supplies.

Your contributions will empower Baby Dennis to embrace a higher quality of life, free from the physical burden of a stoma bag. Following the surgery, Dennis can return to the Philippines to be with his family, and his father can resume work to stabilize the family’s finances.

* Update as of 23 December 24: the surgery costs have reduced to $21,169.63 after Baby Dennis’ social worker successfully secured one-time financial support.

An appeal from Rizalie and Dennis: Please help our baby, Dennis Jr., receive surgery

May we knock on the doors of your kind hearts?

We are reaching out to you with a tense heart and a desperate plea for assistance. We are fortunate to have a lovely son, Dennis Jr., who arrived on March 27, 2023. He introduced happiness and thrill into our lives but also presented us with unforeseen challenges.

Baby Dennis was born prematurely at 28 weeks, weighing 970 grams, due to the diagnosis of a life-threatening pregnancy complication known as severe pre-eclampsia, a condition involving high blood pressure and either protein in the urine or low blood platelet count. Looking back, I realize that we narrowly escaped a dangerous situation, and I am grateful that both of us survived.

By the third day in the NICU, it was discovered that our baby had developed intestinal perforations, which required major surgery to create a temporary opening known as a stoma in his large intestine. His colon, which normally produces excrement, now releases waste through a stoma instead of the anus. 

Seeing Baby Dennis battle with his condition each day brings us sorrow, but he is a resilient and miraculous warrior. He brings joy to us daily and enjoys discovering new things. He doesn’t let the stoma bag on his tummy stop him from reaching developmental milestones. He recently passed the one-year mark and enjoys eating bananas, eggs, bread, apples and pumpkins. However, his joy of discovering new foods is restricted as he cannot eat green leafy vegetables and certain fruits that will cause a large amount of stoma output or diarrhoea in his condition.

As parents, our only desire is to give our child the life he deserves and to let him experience a normal childhood. However, we cannot do this on our own due to insufficient financial resources. I am still covering the expenses from his previous hospitalisations, NICU days, outpatient follow-up appointments, and my own hospital bills in Singapore. As a foreigner holding an S Pass who is not eligible for government medical assistance, I feel limited in my choices and helpless – like I’m up against a wall with no way out. 

We humbly seek your help in raising money for Baby Dennis Jr.’s upcoming surgery on August 28 to cover his medical costs, including intestinal closure. My spouse, Dennis, is a dependent pass holder. He dedicates his days and nights to caring for our son while I’m at work, sacrificing his time and energy to ensure our baby gets the best care.

Your generosity, no matter the size, will help us reach our goal and ease our financial burden. Please donate to Baby Dennis Jr.’s upcoming surgery, share our story on social media, or keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Your support is valuable and could allow my baby to live a pain-free, active and healthy life. Your kindness will always be remembered in Baby Dennis’ journey and make a lasting impact on our lives and always be remembered in Baby Dennis’ journey. 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Rizalie & Dennis

More About the Family

Rizalie has been employed as a Registered Nurse in the A&E department in Singapore since 2016, while her husband, Dennis, previously worked in the F&B industry. They were a stable working couple in Singapore with plans to return to the Philippines to give birth to Baby Dennis Jr. due to Singapore’s high costs of living. However, their plans took an unexpected turn when Rizalie’s pregnancy complications arose, preventing their departure from Singapore. The family has since been grounded in Singapore, facing escalating medical costs that exceed their financial means. Baby Dennis’s caregiving needs have required Dennis to become a full-time caregiver, causing Rizalie to take up additional shifts to manage the high medical expenses.

Staying in Singapore is crucial for Baby Dennis’s immediate medical needs, as returning to the Philippines would entail starting the treatment process from scratch. Additionally, having the follow-up surgery to close the stoma performed in Singapore provides continuity of care. Rizalie also has concerns about the potential risks of taking Baby Dennis home to the Philippines before he receives the necessary treatment for his condition.

Despite the emotional and financial challenges, the family has displayed remarkable resilience and has actively sought support for Baby Dennis. Rizalie is running a separate fundraising campaign to clear her medical arrears.

Campaign Update: 

Baby Dennis has developed a weakened immune system and has been diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). As a result, he will be receiving continued monitoring in the high dependency unit for further observation.

RSV is a significant contributor to respiratory illness in children, often presenting as a common cold. In some cases, however, it can progress to infect the lungs and respiratory system, leading to breathing difficulties in infants and young children.

Please continue to share our story with the community. Every dollar goes a long way for Baby Dennis.