At 23 years old, Nashalie Mae Costañero Gonzalez was focused on building a better future for herself and her family. Like many young Filipinos, she dreamed of career growth, financial stability, and bigger opportunities ahead. Cancer was never something she imagined would interrupt those plans. Life, however, changed faster than she expected.
Working as a barista in Zamboanga City, Nashalie believed she still had plenty of time to prepare for the future. But even while young and healthy, she decided to get insured after learning about financial protection from her sister, Marielle Ann Gonzalez. Some people told her it was unnecessary at her age, but she chose to think long-term. For her, it was simply a responsible decision.
“I was actually the one who insisted on getting insured,” Nashalie shared. “I wanted to protect myself and think about my future and my family.” At the time, she saw insurance only as preparation for uncertainties that might happen someday. She never imagined she would need it much sooner than expected. That decision would later become one of the most important choices of her life.
A few years later, Nashalie began noticing unusual symptoms, including frequent nosebleeds, night sweats, and swollen lymph nodes in her neck. At first, she believed they were caused by stress, fatigue, or lack of rest. But after undergoing medical examinations, doctors discovered something far more serious. She was diagnosed with Stage 3 Nodular Sclerosis Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma.
The diagnosis left her shocked and frightened. “I was scared and struggled to accept it at first,” she recalled. “But I told myself I needed to fight.” Soon, chemotherapy sessions, radiation treatments, medications, and hospital visits became part of her daily reality. Alongside the emotional and physical pain came another difficult challenge — the financial burden of treatment.
“For patients, the battle is not only physical,” Nashalie said. “There is also the stress of worrying about medical expenses.” Fortunately, the protection she secured years earlier helped ease that burden. Despite paying insurance premiums for less than two years, she successfully received a ₱500,000 claim benefit from Pru Life UK. The support helped cover treatment costs and gave her family peace of mind during one of the hardest moments of their lives.
“It was a huge relief because I never had to worry about debt,” she said. “I was able to focus more on healing and getting stronger.” For Nashalie, insurance became more than just financial assistance. It became a source of comfort and stability when uncertainty suddenly entered her life. She also credits her family for remaining strong beside her throughout the journey.
After several rounds of treatment, hope slowly began returning. One moment became unforgettable for Nashalie — when her doctor told her the treatment was working and her lymph nodes were shrinking. “It felt like a heavy burden was lifted,” she shared. “That was the moment I truly felt hopeful again.”
Today, Nashalie shares her story to remind young Filipinos that serious illness can happen to anyone, regardless of age. “Walang pinipiling edad ang sakit,” she said. “You can be young and still face unexpected challenges.” Looking back, she believes preparing early was not about expecting the worst, but about protecting the people she loves. For her, the decision she made before the storm came became the strength she needed when life suddenly changed.
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As published on Mindanao Gold Star Daily.
