Austine Abrillo’s life has been transformed in ways his parents could only dream of. Born with a severe cleft lip and palate, Austine’s future looked bleak as his family struggled to afford the necessary surgeries.
Austine’s parents, Bernadeth and Rheniel Abrillo, were determined to provide their son with a normal life despite the severe challenges they faced. Rheniel, a hard-working construction worker, toiled for a mere ₱400 ($7) a day, while Bernadeth stayed home to care for Austine and his two younger siblings. Their meager income barely covered their daily needs, let alone the expensive medical procedures Austine desperately needed.
Bernadeth’s plea for help reached Operation Blessing (OB) in 2020 when Austine was just a 5-month-old infant. OB quickly arranged for a check-up at Rizal Medical Center, where doctors advised that Austine required a nutritional build-up before surgery. But just as hope was on the horizon, the world was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, and Metro Manila, along with Rizal, went into lockdown.
The pandemic wreaked havoc on the Abrillo family. Fearful of exposing their vulnerable son to the deadly virus, Bernadeth and Rheniel avoided hospital visits. Medical professionals also halted all elective surgeries, adding another layer of despair to their situation.
As the pandemic restrictions loosened, Bernadeth reached out to Operation Blessing once more. By this time, Austine had gained the necessary weight for surgery. In 2022, Austine’s lip was repaired through OB’s Life-Changing Surgery Project in partnership with Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation Philippines, Inc.
But the miracles didn’t stop there! After fully healing from his first surgery, Austine underwent another critical operation in March 2024 to repair his cleft palate.
Since then, Austine has been free from the constant colds and coughs that plagued him before his palatoplasty surgery. He can now eat normally, resulting in a healthy weight gain of 2 kilograms in just three months.
With both his lips and palate now repaired, Austine’s parents no longer fear future bullying as he starts school. And while some words have improved, Austine is set to undergo speech therapy to further enhance his speech.