Every night, Ms Josefina Amparo Hosena, 45, beds down together with her young charge Leona Heng to the soothing music of celebrity South Korean pianist Yiruma.
Every night, Ms. Josefina Amparo Hosena, 45, beds down together with her young charge Leona Heng to the soothing music of celebrity South Korean pianist Yiruma.
Every few hours, Ms Josefina wakes to replenish five-year-old Leona’s milk supply through her feeding tube, and clean it. She gingerly disconnects the tube without waking Leona up – otherwise the little girl will not go back to sleep.
The Filipino domestic helper and the child, it is clear, have a special relationship. Leona suffers from Edwards syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that leads to heart defects, growth deficiencies and intellectual disability.
READ: Blood, sweat and pee: Two DH Stories
While Ms Josefina has to ensure that Leona is fed through the feeding tube at regular intervals round the clock, and be ready to respond to any emergency, such as heart failure, Leona has taught the Filipina and her own family what love and fighting spirit really mean.
Even on Ms Josefina’s days off, the two go out together.
For her dedication, Ms Josefina was one of 40 individual caregivers or families, aged 28 to 79, given the 2017 Model Caregiver Awards yesterday.
