Binalikan ni Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago ang kaniyang pakikipaglaban sa chronic kidney disease, kung saan umabot sa puntong 15 porsyento na lamang ng pareho niyang kidney o bato ang gumagana.

Sa "Updated with Nelson Canlas," ikinuwento ni Bea na nagkaroon siya ng mga nararamdaman sa katawan matapos niyang manalo sa naturang beauty contest.

"A month or two I started feeling sick. I was vomiting, I really had bad migraines. It was at least once a week, naging three times a week, naging everyday. And I was like 'This is not right.' Sobrang sakit ng ulo ko, I would vomit almost every time I will eat, even drink," sabi ni Bea.

Inakala pa raw ni Bea noon na mayroon siyang aneurysm, matapos na pumanaw ang aktres na si Isabel Granada sa aneurysm noong 2017.

Nang magpatingin sa ER, natukoy sa blood tests na mataas ang kaniyang creatinine, kahit na normal naman ang iba niyang organ.

"It was not matching what I feel. I feel normal except for the migraines. And so we did more testing and I did a biopsy. That's when we figured out that my kidneys were only 15% functioning inside," saad ni Bea.

"So my whole world started to crash, but I don't believe that, like I feel okay. But then after a few days, I felt weaker and weaker and more tired and the doctors were telling me, 'If you were my sister, I would immediately get you a kidney transplant," kuwento pa ng beauty queen.

Noong una, tila naging in-denial pa si Bea sa kaniyang sarili tungkol sa kaniyang kondisyon.

"I was like 'No, it is not right. Like, okay pa ako eh, I'm strong. I guess my will was stronger than my body at that time. I was matigas ulo."

Sa pakikipaglaban niya sa sakit, natuto si Bea na mag-dialysis sa kaniyang sarili.

"Pero noong muntikan na akong mahimatay, while with my family, that's when I was rushed to the ER as well and that's where it started na and after a few days, we started dialysis and I went through the treatment where I had studied to do dialysis on my own. I acually did 'yung how to take care of your catheter, how to clean your catheter, how to even manage 'yung emergencies."

Dahil dito, nadagdagan ang kaniyang kumpiyansa na mabuhay.

"For me it also made me confident in myself. Parang the more I get educated, the more I become confident, the more I understand, the more I realize na I am capable of living a normal life through dialysis."

Pinanghahawakan daw ni Bea ang kaniyang kagustuhan na mabuhay pa.

"To live. I want to live. That was my main thing because I don't want my family to see me deteriorate. And God gave me life. So why would I not fight for it when He is fighting for me. That's when I went through the mindset na, the way you think reflects also the way you feel inside. And your body will also react. So na-understand ko na na you really, really have to stay in the light in order for me to feel positive," saad niya.

Ang kapatid ni Bea na 24-anyos na si Paul ang nagboluntaryo na mag-donate ng kidney, hanggang sa sumailalim na siya sa kidney transplant nitong Abril. --FRJ, GMA News