Flipping On The Pages Of Eugene Dumas Cañeda

Behind this face is an inspirational story. You may judge him, you may laugh at him, you may stay away from him but that doesn’t change the fact that he is one of us, he is human.

When I came here in Cebu I saw this kid. He lives near a rental house where I live. I took pity on him. Sometimes he’s naughty but he does the household chores.

When I got to talk to his mother, she said Eugene was a helpful son. But when he was still studying, he often went home crying. He walked through the road under the mighty sun at 12:00 noon from school to house barefooted. His classmates and schoolmates had thrown away his slippers. They made fun of him and on his things. Not one out of hundreds of students in school liked him. His mother took pity on him but she had to send him back to school. Almost everyday Eugene cried. He really suffered because he undergoes a condition called Pierre Robin sequence. He’s complete cleft lip.

Despite having a cleft lip he does the household chores. He knew how to cook. He knew how to clean. But because of the painful experience in school, his mother didn’t force him anymore to continue his study. It will only ruin his life because of his surroundings.

Now, he is among the common children who play with their friends. His only friends are his neighbors. He’s often judged and called not in his name but by his syndrome. He’s not called as Eugene but as “bungi” in English cleft lip.

He just smiles. According to him, it hurts but there is nothing to worry about, it’s just a word. I know how hard it is. He is a jolly kid besides all the criticisms he receives. He enjoys his life though bleeding inside.

That’s how strong Eugene Cañeda is. At first sight, he is weak and vulnerable but try to know him and you’ll see how strong he is. He’s like a book, you’ve got to flip on the pages and read what’s inside before you know what is in it.