“Nagrigat talaga… Kayaek hanggat kayak”: Kalinga cancer warrior continues to fight after six years of treatment

FEATURE

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — For Rizalia Jose, 56, the fight against cancer has been a six-year journey marked by chemotherapy, surgery, recurrence and the painful discovery that the disease had spread. Yet, despite the setbacks, the grandmother of two continues to find reasons to hope, help others and keep moving forward.

A resident of Dagupan Centro, Rizalia thought she had finally overcome late-stage cancer after completing treatment in 2020. But the disease returned in 2023 and spread to another organ in 2025, bringing her back to the infusion room for more rounds of chemotherapy.

Now preparing for another session on November 6, 2026, Rizalia remains determined to face whatever comes next.

“Nagrigat. Talaga nga haan ko ammu nu apay nga kastoy. Kunak nu mayat nakon…ngem kayaek hanggat kayak,” she said with enthusiasm.

Her words reflect the struggle of someone who has endured years of treatment but refuses to let the disease take away her hope.

Rizalia shared her cancer journey during the Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Fun Walk organized by the Kalinga Cancer Care Ministry Inc. (KCCMI) on October 24, 2026.

She was first diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in 2019. Before undergoing surgery, she received chemotherapy to shrink the tumor. She continued treatment after the operation and completed her prescribed cycles in 2020.

For three years, she remained cancer-free. However, in 2023, the disease recurred, requiring another round of chemotherapy.

In June 2025, her oncologist discovered that the cancer had metastasized, or spread to another organ. She once again had to undergo chemotherapy.

This year, further tests detected remnants of the disease, prompting her to return for two additional chemotherapy sessions. She completed the first on October 13 and is scheduled for the second on November 6.

For many, six years of repeated hospital visits and treatment could be overwhelming. For Rizalia, however, the journey has become part of a life she continues to live with courage, faith and a determination to remain useful to others.

Still reaching out to help others

During the cancer awareness event, Rizalia was far from appearing defeated. She was on her feet, enthusiastically joining the Zumba sessions and sharing in the energy of fellow participants.

After the program, she spoke with GURU Press Cordillera about how cancer has affected her life.

She admitted that treatment sometimes leaves her weak, but she continues with her usual routine whenever her condition allows. One thing she has not abandoned is helping people who approach her for assistance.

“Nu adda mangibaga nga ‘manang, tulungan nak man ta apanak agpatulong kenni congressman,’ ket wen kunak, apan ko kadkadwaan dita… iti panunut ko gamin ket nu mabalbalin, awan kuma metten iti agsakit nga kastoyen,” she said.

Her willingness to help others comes from a simple wish: that fewer people would have to endure the pain and uncertainty of serious illness.

Although cancer has limited some of her activities, including her ability to care for her grandchildren as she once did, Rizalia continues to find ways to stay active and connected with people around her.

Fighting for more time with her grandchildren

Behind Rizalia’s determination is a family that continues to stand by her, particularly her husband, who assists her and makes sure she does not overexert herself.

She understands that cancer can be unpredictable, and the return of the disease has brought another round of uncertainty. Still, her hopes remain grounded in the people she loves most.

At 56, one of her greatest wishes is to have more time to watch her two grandchildren, aged 14 and three, grow up.

For Rizalia, the fight is not simply about enduring another chemotherapy session. It is also about holding on to ordinary moments, continuing to help others and being present for her family for as long as she can.

To fellow cancer warriors, she encourages them to keep fighting and to accept the love, care and prayers offered by the people around them.

Her journey has not been easy, and the road ahead remains uncertain. But as she prepares to return to the infusion room, Rizalia continues to hold on to the words that have carried her through years of treatment: “kayaek hanggat kayak” — she will keep going for as long as she can.