 | A Fundraising Campaign To Save A Precious Life | Aug 2, 2008 |
Our newlywed friends, Brian and Vida (nee Toledo) Samson are expecting their first baby. However, last July 2008, doctors discovered through ultrasound that the baby, Savannah Araceli Breeda Thaddeus Toledo Samson, has a life-threatening disease called congenital diaphragmatic hernia. It is a rare condition that occurs in 1 out of 2,200 to 5,000 live births, in which the baby's diaphragm, the organ that separates the chest cavity (which contains the heart and lungs) from the abdominal cavity (which contains the stomach, liver and intestines), fails to develop completely. The under-developed diaphragm leaves a hole that allows the intestines and the stomach to enter the chest cavity, affecting the development of the lungs. After birth, the lungs may collapse and Savannah may not be able to breathe.  According to Vida's doctor, approximately 75% to 90% of babies born with this condition do not survive, if left untreated. We have recently received word that, due to Vida's nearing due date, the University of California San Francisco Medical Center has declined to send the documents needed for the application of their US medical emergency visas. The reason behind this is that if Vida were to enter labor during transit the hospital would be held responsible for her welfare. Vida's obstetrician has advised the couple on the possibility of her giving birth here in the Philippines. After birth Savannah would be incubated for at least 48 hours. Surgery would be possible when her condition stabilizes. Vida and Brian are still looking for a foundation that would sponsor the cost of Savannah's treatment. We, Vida and Brian's high school friends, are organizing Project Savannah, a fund-raising drive that would hopefully raise enough funds to cover expenses to be incurred for Savannah's incubation and medicine that would not be covered by sponsoring foundations. Part of this project are the benefit concerts, Rock the Cradle: A Benefit Concert for Savannah and Ultrasound, details of which would be uploaded to this site soon. If you would like to donate funds you may do so through Vida's savings account: Vida's father has kindly let us use his Banco De Oro savings account for donations: To notify us of your donation please email us at projectsavannah@gmail.com. Also, any help that you can offer, particularly with finding a pediatric surgeon who would be kind enough to give the couple a discounted professional fee and a foundation that would sponsor Savannah's treatment, would be most welcome. To know more about the campaign, please contact KL at +63 916 780 2094 or Dino at +63 905 357 7284. You may also e-mail us at projectsavannah@gmail.com. Thank you very much. Community of Learners HS Batch 2002 Sponsors:    Heartburn Productions The Mad Tea Party Clothing Company | Savannah | Oct 24, '08 2:10 PM
for everyone |
Savannah was born, through C-section, early evening of last Wednesday, October 22, 2008. After several minutes out of Vida, Savannah's lungs gave out and her heart slowed to a stop. The doctors did all they can to bring her back, but to no avail. Vida is in good condition and will be checking out of Manila Doctors' Hospital today.
The wake will be at Chapel J, second floor, of Loyola Memorial Chapels, Guadalupe. Interment will be on Monday at Loyola Memorial Park, Marikina.
Funds raised through Project Savannah will be used for hospital expenses incurred due to Savannah's condition and for the funeral service. Part of the plan is to give the remainder of the proceeds to a foundation catering to children. Even though Savannah's life only lasted for a few minutes, we still thank you all very much for helping give Savannah a chance to live. We have just recieved word that Vida and Brian are now at the hospital, awaiting delivery. During their check up last Saturday, the doctor said Vida's cervix hasn't dilated enough for her to be checked into the hospital, so they told her to stay at home and exercise more (lots of walking and going up and down the stairs) to help with the dilation. Will tell you all when something has finally happened.
Thanks!
Hi all,
We feel like we owe it to you guys to keep you informed about the status of Vida and the baby, especially since most of you have invested time, effort, and money to our cause, so here are some updates about Vida, Savannah and the fund-raising drive.
Firstly, through Fetal Attraction, we were able to raise around 17,000 pesos from donations, shirt sales and ticket sales. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who helped us out. We'll release a more comprehensive list of nice people who went out of their way to help with the gig soon. :) We'll also give a donation update soon.
Secondly, through the kindness of countless generous people, we have raised around 100,000 pesos for Savannah. :D Yey! This money is kept and will be used for Savannah's treatment. We can never thank you enough for your contributions. Vida and Brian are still awaiting a positive response from several organizations regarding the funding of the procedure. According to the couple, their pediatric surgeon has estimated Savannah's treatment to cost at least 500,000 Php. We are grateful to Dr. Wilma Baltazar and Dr. Josephine Almonte for giving their support to the couple and Savannah.
And lastly, the end of the road is near. Vida was originally scheduled to give birth on November 2, but because babies who have congenital diseases tend to be born earlier, Savannah's birth day has been moved to October 19. Yes, that's this Sunday. And we are all nervous, apprehensive and, at the same time, hopeful about what will happen. Savannah, Vida and Brian now need all the hope, prayers, good vibes, positive energy, or whatever you want to call it that they can get, please hope with us, hope and pray that Savannah lives.
Check back with us, we'll be posting updates regularly.
Maraming salamat at sana di kaya mag-sawang tumulong.
Project Savannah
| Start: | Oct 11, '08 9:00p | | End: | Oct 12, '08 02:00a | | Location: | Genre Bar, Cubao X |
The third and last fund-raising gig for Savannah, the unborn baby of Vida and Brian Samson diagnosed with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Featuring: Cosmic Love Khavn Misyonaryo Nimbus 9 Nyko Maca Severo Top Junk Up Dharma Down Tickets sell at 200 Php. Mura na! Punta kayo! It will be fuh-hun! Plus you get to help save a baby's life! good bands + saving a baby's life = woot woot great time for everyone! The third and last gig for Savannah. October 11 at Genre Bar, Cubao X, 9pm. Tickets: Php 200 Featuring: Cosmic Love Khavn Misyonaryo Nimbus 9 Nyko Maca Severo Top Junk Up Dharma Down Punta kayo ha. :)  Project Savannah will be selling Save Savannah shirts at Meiday on Saturday, October 4, from 9pm onwards. Punta kayo!
Meiday! Meiday!
Cubao Expo Parking Strip
October 4, 2008
Featuring:
PEDICAB
HALIK NI GRINGO
CIUDAD
ANG BANDANG SHIRLEY
CHUBIBO
THE PURPLECHICKENS
TOPJUNK
TWIN LOBSTER
ARIGATO! HATO!
THE DISCOBALL
WASAKAN
MISYONARYO
ONCE MORE WITH FEELINGS
THE LOWTECHS
DUELIST
DR MINDBENDER
plus DJ set by ONLY REVOLUTIONS
 Thank you to the musicians who played; Arvie Bartolome, Foundation Band. Kamuning Drive, Tao Aves and Popoy Diokno, Anto, The Purplechickens, Khavn de la Cruz, Gary Granada, Cookie Chua and Noel Cabangon. We are grateful to Yna Dalisay and Conspiracy Bar for accomodating our requests, to Malou Choa - Fagar for helping us promote Ultrasound on national television, T. Marj Javier, T. Jing Pascual, Tita Joyce Sierra, Alice Sarmiento, and Mikey Abola for helping us fill our line up and for supporting our cause and to Rik Rasos and Patrick Bondoc for our Proudrace shirts. Thank you also to our sponsors; Little Quiapo for the food of the bands and Replica Grafix for our tarps. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the parents from Community of Learners who bought tickets and donated money for Savannah; the parents or the family of: Joaquin Acuna, Justin Ang, Jin Buenaventura, Aaron Chang, Thomas Chen, Paul David, Guido, Sam, and Mio de los Angeles, Carlos Fernandez, Ibarra Family, Inciong Family, Khyle Khoo, Ligot Family, Julianne Lim, Aga & JR Mangcoy, Anj Mercado, Tasha Montelibano, Una Morala, Pinky Nagtalon, Bucot Neri, Joseph Ortiz, Dani Pineda, Eliza Rogando, Ina Rosal, Valerie Say, Eli & Ito Sepe, Anton Sison, Sam Sison, Andrew Sta. Cruz, Carlos Umlas, Zoey Villanueva Once again, good job prod team, thanks for helping out :): Carlo, Joy-joy, Pat, Amaya, Dino, Mikey, Niko, KL, Tirso and Janred. Thanks so much to the people who went to Ultrasound. Through all of your help we were able to raise about Php 28,000 from donations, ticket sales and shirt sales on that day alone. We really appreciate your support. - Community of Learners HS Batch 2002 |  | Thank you to all the musicians who played and to everyone who went.
Thanks to Mikey and Joy-joy for the pictures. :) |
A special thanks to GMA and Eat Bulaga for plugging our event and everyone else for that matter :D please come to ultrasound :D
Download this and other original video files with Multiply Premium. ULTRASOUND Featuring: Anto Arvie Bartolome Foundation Band Kamuning Drive Khavn De La Cruz Noel Cabangon The Purplechickens Tao Aves featuring Popoy Diokno September 15, 2008 at Conspiracy Bar (59 Visayas Ave., Project 6 Quezon City, in front of Shell) Show starts at 7:00 pm. See you there!  | Update | Sep 10, '08 6:41 AM
for everyone |
We have recently received word that, due to Vida's nearing due date, the University of California San Francisco Medical Center has declined to send the documents needed for the application of their US medical emergency visas. The reason behind this is that if Vida were to enter labor during transit the hospital would be held responsible for her welfare. Vida's obstetrician has advised the couple on the possibility of her giving birth here in the Philippines. After birth Savannah would be incubated for at least 48 hours. Surgery would be possible when her condition stabilizes.
Vida and Brian are still looking for a foundation that would sponsor the cost of Savannah's treatment.
Possible expenses are:
1. Professional fee of the pediatric surgeon
2. Incubation of Savannah
3. Medicine for Savannah
4. Savannah's surgery
How you can help:
1. Help us find a foundation that would sponsor Savannah's treatment
2. Help us find a pediatric surgeon with a discounted professional fee
3. Promote and go to our fund raising gig on Monday.
Thank you.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Ms. Menchu Sarmiento for sponsoring the surcharges of Vida and Brian's flight to the U.S. Thank you so much for doing this for Vida and Brian's baby, words fail to express our gratefulness.
We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to our most recent set of donors:
the Abello family
Cat Cortez of Arigato Hato
the Delima family
Alay Gerlock
the Gose family
Karen M. Kapayo
Deryck Madarang
Fifi Madarang
Perla Megino
the Sol Cruz family
the Vega family
As of September 4, 2008 Project Savannah has received a total of 31, 735.00 Php worth of donations. Thank you so much for your support. We really cannot thank you all enough.
Community of Learners HS Batch 2002
| Start: | Sep 15, '08 7:00p | | End: | Sep 16, '08 12:00a | | Location: | Conspiracy Bar, Visayas Ave |
Featuring: Anto Arvie Bartolome Foundation Band Kamuning Drive Khavn De La Cruz Noel Cabangon The Purplechickens Tao Aves featuring Popoy Diokno September 15, 2008 at Conspiracy Bar (59 Visayas Ave., Project 6 Quezon City, in front of Shell) Show starts at 7:00 pm. See you there! Tickets sell at 250 Php if you buy before the event and 300 Php if you buy at the door. Recently I received an email from UCSF Medical Center informing me that my baby is no longer qualified for the intrauterine fetal surgery...It was like having someone throw a bucket of ice cold water at you...I felt like whatever was left of my faith went down the drain. However, a follow-up email was sent to me informing me that my baby can still be given a chance to live...if she gets operated their as soon as I give birth to her, there is a big possibility that she'll live--97% as compared to the 10% survival rate that the doctors here in the Philippines kept on telling me.
Haven't it been for the moral support and encouragement of my family and friends I would have already totally gone berserk because of all the stress and pressure that I have been going through since the day I found out that my dear Savannah has a congenital defect.
If you were on my shoes...If you were a mom-to-be and you have been told that your baby has only less than 10% chance to live as soon as her umbilical cord is cut from you...wouldn't you feel like losing your sanity? Wouldn't you feel like questioning your relationship with God? Why me? In the first place I never took anything that I know will put damage to my body...and my baby...
I've been asking myself everyday...why me??? And you know what, it was Teacher Marj who told me that I shouldn't be asking that kind of question...I should be flattered that God thinks so highly of me that's why He thinks that I am capable of handling such a difficult challenge...a really difficult challenge.
I'm supposed to be giving you guys updates also...During the Rock The Cradle concert, Alice Sarmiento told my husband that her mom, Ms. Menchu Sarmiento (Executive Director of PAL Foundation) will shoulder the surcharges and taxes of our airfare in case we'll be able to fly.
We've been in contact with two foundations. The hardships and misadventures that Brian and I had to experience this past two days just to have the ball rolling with these two foundations were tedious and tasking. We can already write a novel about our journey towards the "finish line".
Right now we're still hoping for a miracle, whatever miracle may that be I just hope that it would allow me to hold Savannah and watch her grow into a person that I can be proud to have as my daughter.
-vida samson-
 Project Savannah thanks all the bands who played without asking for anything in return; Arigato Hato, Chubibo, BOK 76, Dud, Hilera, Icalaua, Kamuning Drive, Maya's Anklet and Out of Body Special. Without you guys we wouldn't have a great fund raising gig, so superdupernuper thanks to you! They're really great bands composed of very nice people so, everyone, go to their gigs okay? A whopping big thanks to the people who came and partied with us, those who bought tickets but didn't come, those who filled our purple donation pig with money, those who got Save Savannah shirts (PM us to order yours), and those who bought from The Mad Tea Party Clothing Co. Special thanks to all the people from Community of Learners who came, alumni and teachers. :D We are also grateful to Alay Gerlock, the Gose family, and the Abello family for giving us their donations that night. Thank you to Cindy and Big Sky Mind, for accomodating our requests and for supporting our fundraising, and to our sponsors; Little Quiapo for providing beer for the bands and Replica Grafix for the tarps. A big thanks to Alice Sarmiento for volunteering to sell her stuff at the event and to Pat Bondoc for the beeyootiifuul Proudrace shirts. Thanks to the people who helped us sell tickets; Pie Arcinue, Karina Morales, Malay Javier, Giya Sicam, Dinbo Macaranas, and Kala Pasamba. Thanks also to T. Marj and T.Jing for helping us organize the gig. Kudos to everyone who helped out that night, we did good friends, Tirso for emceeing, Amaya for getting bands to play at such a short notice and also for agreeing to emcee with Tirso, Nicca, Isay, Nicoline and Dino for taking charge of the front of house, Myki and Janred for being runners, KL for being the LB, Pat for being the SM, PB, Arvie and Jovie for playing and for doing everything we asked them to do, Ado for being the purple donation pig bearer, and AJ! for getting all sweaty with us. Through all of you guys we were able to raise about 41,000 Php through ticket sales, donations and shirt sales! The help we've been receiving is really overwhelming. We can never thank you enough for supporting Project Savannah. | | Maraming, maraming salamat sa lahat ng nagpunta at sumuporta!
Thanks to Kindred, Aya and Nicoline for the pictures. |
Featuring: Out of Body Special, Chubibo, Hilera, Arigato Hato, BOK 76, Kamuning Drive, Icalaua, Maya's Anklet and Dud! See you at Big Sky Mind! Show starts at 9pm. :)  Featuring: Arigato Hato, BOK 76, Chubibo, Dud, Hilera, Icalaua, Kamuning Drive, Maya's Anklet at Big Sky Mind, 9pm! Rock the Cradle with your friends and help save Savannah! 
How to get there:
See you on Friday!
 | Guestbook | |
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powie wrote on Nov 13, '08 Read 2 Timothy 4:6, "The time of my departure is at hand." it's not about goodbyes but Savannah will see us in another time |
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powie wrote on Nov 11, '08 hey guys, why don't we set a christmas party parang it's like an alumni reunion and a tribute to savannah |
 | Rest in peace, Baby Savannah! |
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powie wrote on Oct 27, '08 i send the pics of the funeral, thank you for believing in me to have faith at sa abot ng aking makakaya bilang isang manggagawa ng panginoong maykapal |
 | She's due today. Let us know how things are. Still praying... |
 | vidi and brian i m parying for you and savannah ako ang ninang yan ha |
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powie wrote on Sep 18, '08 i would like to share all of you of the first song i sang sa ultrasound |
 | Thank you for letting us be a part of Rock the Cradle! We'll keep baby Savannah in our prayers. |
 | We're all praying for you!!! Keep on believing!!! - Jord of icalaua |
 | hi! im just passing by.. actually, im doing research on ADHD kasi for my uncle abroad and I was supposed to go to UP today to check out ms. toledo's thesis. unfortunately I got the measles 2 days ago (yes, at age 27!) so i was hoping I'd just look over the net or something, and I came to this site.. this is quite long already, and I dont know any of you guys but I want you to know that I will join you in prayer for the Samsons... |
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powie wrote on Aug 29, '08 can i have your permission to post my blog about the prayer meeting as a prayer warrior? |
 | Hi! Cat here from Arigato, Hato! I made an event regarding the concert on Facebook! :)
Hope to meet you all tomorrow! |
 | vida, nabalitaan ko lang to kay roge.. will be posting this site's link sa multiply ko.. |
 | hi Brian & Vida. omg, i came to know about Baby Savannah coz ngpost si Dianne Miano sa mail that her college friend needs help. My prayers are with you guys. Vida, kaya mo yan! I know you're a fighter. Be strong guys, your friends are here to support you. God Bless. _adel yu_ |
 | I'm reposting the entry about Rock the Cradle. :) |
 | omg bakla, my prayers are with you, brian, and savannah all the way. =) |
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