Girlie Dioquino succumbed to lung cancer
Girlie Dioquino succumbed to lung cancer
Girlie Gioquino, seen here with Alberto Rodil, a settlement worker at Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office in Toronto.
Girlie Dioquino succumbed to lung cancer on May 14, 2012 at Lakeridge Health Oshawa Hospital. It was a brief battle with the dreaded disease that quickly weakened her and gave her so much pain.
Like thousands of women from the Philippines, Girlie came to Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program in 2007 through an employment agency. Like many others, she was released upon arrival by her “employer” and, after months of trying to find a new one, she eventually lost her status.
Girlie had no life insurance and/or any other assets. When she was losing the battle with the disease, she considered two options: to go back to the Philippines to die in the loving arms of her family or to bring her parents here to be with her.
But time was not on her side. Her final request before her death was to have her body repatriated to the Philippines. Unfortunately, she was not a registered member of Philippine Overseas Workers Welfare Association so not entitled to repatriation benefits. The estimated cost of the repatriation is $6,000-$8,000.
Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office is now receiving donations to raise funds to repatriate the body of Girlie. Please make cheques payable to Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office (TNO). Please indicate Girlie Dioquino Repatriation Funds in the memo section of the cheque and send to Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office, 28 Overlea Blvd (Lower Level), Toronto ON M4H 1B6.
For more details on how to donate, please call Bala Shan 416.421.1495 ext 232 or email him at bshan@thorncliffe.org. No cash donations will be accepted.
TNO is not authorizing any individual or group to collect cash donations for this purpose on behalf of TNO. Please contact Alberto 416.421.3054 ext. 239, Esel 416.421.1495 ext 224 and Maria 647.296.6204 for more details about the memorial service that TNO is planning to organize for Girlie.
Sincerely yours,
Esel Laxa Panlaqui
Community Engagement Coordinator Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office
28 Overlea Blvd Toronto, Ontario, M4H 1B6
Tel. 416.421.1495 ext. 224 Fax. 416.421.8656
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