Cheyenne Suarez

Kitchie Lustestica with Leidemor and Karen Davila. Photo source: Karen Davila's YouTube Channel

Article (news)

Who do you turn to when life gets tough?

ABS-CBN News

<div style="line-height:1"><br/></div><div style="line-height:1;text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746788095133img-1_blur.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Kitchie Lustestica with Leidemor and Karen Davila. Photo source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Kitchie Lustestica with Leidemor Bartolome and Karen Davila. <em>Photo source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel</em></span></span></span></div><p>Life&#x27;s journey is rarely a straight path—especially for many Filipinos striving to build a better future. Just when things start to look promising, unexpected challenges can arrive without warning: a sudden illness, an accident, or the heartbreaking loss of a loved one. These moments shake not only our emotional foundation, but also our financial stability.</p><p>For a family already working hard to make ends meet, one setback can undo years of sacrifice. Hospital bills, emergency expenses, and lost income can drain savings and force painful decisions between today&#x27;s needs and tomorrow&#x27;s dreams. Financial strain becomes another burden during life&#x27;s toughest seasons—making it harder to recover, rebuild, and move forward.</p><p>This is why financial protection through an insurance plan is more than just a smart move—it is a lifeline. A comprehensive plan provides a safety net when the unexpected happens, allowing families to focus on healing instead of worrying about costs. It offers peace of mind that dreams can still come true, even in the face of life&#x27;s hardest blows.</p><p>In a special conversation with journalist Karen Davila, two powerful stories of resilience came to light—those of Kitchie Lustestica and Leidemor Bartolome. Their experiences show how the right protection at the right time does not just cover expenses—it can help preserve hope and dignity, and at the same time provide the means to fulfill lifelong dreams. Their journeys are a powerful reminder: while we cannot always control what lies ahead, <em>know you can</em> prepare for it. </p><div><strong>A beacon of hope through life&#x27;s darkest moments </strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17467600514391.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Kitchie Lustestica with her son. Photo source: AXA Philippines"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Kitchie Lustestica with her son.<em> Photo source: AXA Philippines </em></span></span></span></div><p>For Kitchie Lustestica, what should have been one of the happiest moments of her life quickly turned into a fight for survival. Pregnant with her first child, she began experiencing a persistent cough, which she initially dismissed as a mild illness. However, even after testing negative for a viral sickness at the time, several times, her symptoms worsened.</p><p>When she went into labor, she struggled to breathe, prompting doctors to perform an emergency C-section. In the aftermath of the procedure, a devastating discovery was made: a large tumor in her lungs. </p><p>Just days after giving birth, Kitchie was diagnosed with cancer. Instead of focusing solely on her newborn son, she had to fight for her life. Fortunately, her AXA Health Max plan provided the financial cushion she needed, covering up to P2 million in medical expenses, including a three-month hospital stay and critical ICU treatment.</p><div> <span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746790055956test_.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Karen Davila talking about the importance of preparation. Photo source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Karen Davila talking about the importance of preparation. <em>Photo source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel </em></span></span></span></div><p>Today, three years into remission, Kitchie reflects on how her insurance plan gave her not just financial relief, but peace of mind during a time of crisis.   </p><p>&quot;Having AXA Health Max is important to me because I know no matter what happens, I am protected,&quot; she shared. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746789250520img-3_new_.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Kitchie Lustestica. Photo Source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Kitchie Lustestica.<em> Photo Source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel </em></span></span></span></div><div><strong>A lifeline during times of crisis </strong></div><p>For Leidemor Bartolome, tragedy struck in the most unimaginable way. In March 2022, she traveled to the U.S. to make funeral arrangements for her late mother.   However, on the day she was set to take her late mother&#x27;s ashes home, she and her father were involved in a serious car accident—turning an already heartbreaking trip into a life-threatening ordeal. </p><div> <span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746789268222img-4-New_.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Leidemor. Photo source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Leidemor Bartolome. <em>Photo source: Karen Davila&#x27;s YouTube Channel </em></span></span></span></div><p>Leidemor&#x27;s injuries required immediate medical attention which soon caused her to face an overwhelming hospital bill of USD 33,000 or roughly P2 million. In a foreign country, dealing with grief, shock, and mounting expenses, she found solace in AXA Smart Traveller, which covered her medical bills.    </p><p>&quot;My travel insurance with AXA was not just about covering a trip—it was about ensuring I had the support I needed when life took an unexpected turn,&quot; Leidemor explained. </p><div><strong>Years of protecting what matters for Filipinos </strong></div><p>These real-life stories are just two among countless Filipinos whose lives have been safeguarded by AXA. Having been in the Philippines since 1999, AXA has continuously adapted its services to meet the evolving needs of Filipino families—providing security, flexibility, and peace of mind when it matters. </p><p>Whether through comprehensive health coverage like AXA Health Max or travel protection like AXA Smart Traveller, the goal remains the same: to empower Filipinos amid life&#x27;s uncertainties so they can move forward with confidence.      </p><p>As Karen Davila&#x27;s interviews illustrate, insurance is not just about policies—it is about reliability, resilience, and ensuring that no matter what life brings, #KnowYouCan rise again with the right protection. </p><p>Learn more about protection plans for you and your loved ones by visiting their <a href="https://www.axa.com.ph/products/health-and-critical-illness/health-max-elite?utm_source=pr_article&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=hme-pr-pr-2025&amp;utm_content=awe-article-pr_hmejubilee-041625">website</a>.  </p>

<p>Life is unpredictable. One moment, you are building your future; the next, you are fighting to keep it together. Here is why financial protection matters now more than ever. </p>

Life is unpredictable. One moment, you are building your future; the next, you are fighting to keep it together. Here is why financial protection matters now more than ever.

Who do you turn to when life gets tough?

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Who do you turn to when life gets tough?

AXA Philippines

Published May 09, 2025 07:14 PM PHT

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Updated May 14, 2025 08:01 AM PHT

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