Miyerkules, Hulyo 9, 2014

The Power of the True Meaning of Giving

NKTI's very jolly Dr. Tan with Joel. Taken second week of June 2014.

When a true friend is in need, we go a long way to help that friend through a crisis. Especially when it concerns health, we rouse up the whole neighbourhood or town to come to our aid on behalf of our friend or relative. We give of our time, our resources and our talents to raise as much help as we can to alleviate the financial and emotional burden that we feel and share with that person in distress.

Such is the love and sacrifice of real friends at LogicGateOne and Charterbase Solutions have for a precious relationship. This is the clear picture we see among the friends, relatives and associates of Joel Castillo who is presently undergoing medical treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, a form of cancer affecting the blood.

Being a member of the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity, Joel’s frat brothers here and abroad have pitched in to provide his medical needs. The inspiring expression of concern warms the heart of Joel’s wife, Rose Castillo, to realize there are numerous people, known and unknown to them, who have come out to answer the call for help.

A SEO company in Subic Bay Philippines, LogicGateOne Corporation has done this by simply re-sharing and spreading a fundraising campaign for Joel via Facebook. The campaign involves selling t-shirts to those who are interested to give assistance to a frat brother in need.

Giving is the only activity that makes a person truly feel content about what he or she has. Often, we feel down when we think we do not have enough, not realizing that having a family, friends and the essential necessities in life can be real abundance in a world where many less fortunate people languish in poverty and dire need. Once we let go of something we feel is valuable, we suddenly realize we have been made stewards of such possessions for a while in order to make the lives of others more tolerable and even wonderful. From such an experience, true and lasting happiness arises.

Dr. Claire Rosario trying to explain what all the counts mean!

We need not give one half or a third of our possessions in order to please God or to show we truly have compassion and generosity. Many give their entire wealth and even their life but do not have genuine love within them, as the good book points out. We must give of ourselves first before we can truly give anything of value. And once we have the understanding and the will to sacrifice our material wealth and our precious time to reach out to others, there is great value and power in what we truly own in life and giving to others will seem as natural as if we were genuine philanthropists sharing a tiny surplus of our enormous possessions. Besides, in giving there is nothing tiny or negligible. What you give -- even two pesos -- if that is all that you have, is worth more than the wealth of others.

Joel's 2d Echo test. Echocardiography is also called an echo test. This test generates moving pictures of the heart using sound waves.  An Echocardiogram helps evaluate various problems with the heart and its function. It gives information about the heart’s structure and blood flow non-invasively.

The heart is where all our treasures lie. Everything else is shareable for a heart that truly loves.
Those who have not learned this lesson on giving remain holding on to their wealth, not realizing they will eventually give away their entire wealth to others when the time comes for them to depart from this life. We know we cannot bring anything with us except the good deeds we have done.

And so, giving is the only way we can truly say we are rich. But more than that, giving is the only way we can claim that we have made others rich as well for we allowed them to share in our wealth. In this world, there is no wealth greater than that kind of wealth. For eventually, giving will end in our receiving the promise of God that “those who are merciful shall receive mercy”, not only in this world but in the one to come.


Give – you are richer than you think you really are!

Biyernes, Hulyo 4, 2014

Fundraising Drive for a Cancer Patient and Save a Life (All about heroes who give of their best)

Another campaign on behalf of Joel Castillo who is undergoing bone-marrow transplant for his acute myeloid leukemia, a form of cancer affecting the blood, is spearheaded by the Isabelita-Rosueta Organization (IROG). Through the kindness and help of Kevin Hamdorf, a close friend and former colleague, anyone can buy fine-art prints and share the proceeds to Joel’s medical needs. So, apart from the t-shirts you can buy as fundraising campaign for Joel’s treatment, you can also acquire beautiful prints to decorate your home or your office. (Please check out this link for the details: http://www.isabelitarosueta.org/joel.php and https://www.facebook.com/HelpSaveACancerPatient)



In connection with the ongoing fundraising campaigns, we would like to express their appreciation for Diorella Printing Shop for donating 2,500 posters of Joel’s AB+ blood solicitation drive for his transfusion needs. Likewise, their appreciation and thanks go to Remus Printing Shop of Olongapo City for donating Castillo-Family-Picture Thank-You postcards for those who have purchased t-shirts.


And, finally, the Castillo Family would like to express their thanks and appreciation for the Subic Bay Chamber of Commerce for spreading the campaign en-masse to its members.

A giga thanks to all these wonderful heroes who have selflessly made time to help a respected family of Sto. Tomas. For the information of all, Joel and Rose Castillo put up a company to employ many young and dynamic IT professionals in Subic and eventually launched a foundation (IROG) to provide scholarships to the youth in Sto. Tomas, Subic. Please check out this site Isabelita Rosueta Organization (IROG).

As fate would have it, Joel’s condition has turned the table around and the Castillo Family now needs the assistance of others. The outpouring of help so far only shows that a good deed does come around and return to those who have given plenty of it to others. Seeing the joy and enthusiasm of Isabelita Rosueta Organization beneficiaries during their Christmas and many yearly activities is only half of the picture as the faces of those people who compose IROG likewise show the deep joy and sincere love of those who give.

So, whether you are in need or you are in a position to give, the joy is one and the same because we all share in the wonderful blessing of life from Heaven. We have received the best from our Maker; let us then share our best to others as much as we can. Only then can we say that we have and we know true love.

God truly provides through individuals and people to whom He has given abundantly.


Miracle happens everyday!


Miracle happens everyday! Close to impossible but its not! - with such resourceful friends, ever supporting bros' & sis', and a faithful God, how hard can it be?

In connection with the ongoing fundraising campaigns, we would like to express appreciation for Diorella Printing Shop Olongapo City for donating 2,500 posters of Joel’s AB+ blood solicitation drive for his transfusion needs.

Martes, Hulyo 1, 2014

Day 31.Think Positive! Stay Positive!





Day 31. The brilliant concept that the glass is neither half-empty nor half-full, like life is both - contains happiness and sadness. Happy as the cancer cells is down to 3% after the 3rd chemo, and sad as we cannot proceed with the transplant till we treat his weakening heart and rhythm disturbances first. Times like this, when life gets tough, and things will look like they’re not going to work out as planned, let’s live by hope and faith - everything’s going to be alright. This is a continuous battle - i need more CHAKRA! Think Positive! Stay Positive!

For more info visit this site: isabelitarosueta.org/joel.php