Maria’s Story
August 5, 2020
Maria Pez Penuela has been working in Hong Kong for 23 years. She received a heavy-hearted message in October 2019 when she discovered she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After careful consideration with her employer, she decided to reside at Bethune House in the journey of recovery.
Maria has been a diligent domestic helper for four families. In the third year of her latest employment, she observed some health-related changes and went for check-ups. Her employer accompanied and visited her during hospitalisation. Their caring concern received appreciation from medical personnel because it is rare for employers to shift into the role of taking care of their helpers. She maintains a good relationship with the family despite not being able to work at the moment.
She has been living at Bethune House for eight months. Before coming into contact with the organisation, she had seen relevant stories in newspapers and on Facebook. Later, one of her Filipino friends suggested she seek help from an organisation and therefore passed her a card of Bethune House. Since battling cancer requires hard endurance, she finally decided to stay with other migrant worker women who could understand each other.
All the daily chores are completed by the residents to keep the living environment clean and organised. Maria sometimes cooks for the group as it helps everyone feel more like a family. They also take classes together to improve English. Everyone stays in the shelter for different reasons, but the residents share the experience of being under heavy financial stress as their situations do not allow working. Because staying at Bethune house means essential expenses are covered, she has been able to find support and understanding for her condition.
The cancer removal surgery successfully took place in April. Fortunately, there was no need for her to pay for the medical expense thanks to insurance. The government policy of insuring domestic workers not only provides a safety net forthem and their unpredictable futures, but also saves the employers from law breaching punishments. Through Maria's story, we can weigh the significance of obeying the rules set by the government - such as the mandate for employers to insure their domestic workers upon arrival.
In coming August, Maria is going to have a post-surgical review. Due to her medical condition, she was not able to return home to Iloilo, a beautiful Philippine city. Let's hope for a satisfying result so that Maria can regain a free and pleasant life.
Written by: Jade Yiu, Translation Student at City University of Hong Kong
