For the past 25 years, your DAILY STAR has become a refuge to the needy, destitute, and those who have nobody to turn to, seeking help for their kin who have fallen victims to illness or tragedy -- poor souls hoping to get through the obstacles of life, and see the better part of it, however an uphill battle it may seem. With help from generous readers, especially countless donors who have "not let their right hand know what the other was doing," the paper has seen a number of patients, most of them children, able to survive and making it back to mainstream society.

Others, though, were unfortunate despite prompt medical attention and putting up a brave fight. The DAILY STAR was always and in all ways beside them. Through all these years, the STAR has witnessed how these people have fallen down and shed tears, offered their prayers and shared their dreams, till the day they stood up from their brokenness and became whole.

Beyond the staff's grueling desk work, and the world of beating deadlines was fulfilling another mission: the vocation to help others by being a vehicle of transforming lives.

Back in 1982, the STAR's first patient was Herminia Deligero who had to be operated on for her face deformity. In 1991, readers also contributed to sending then 9-year-old Pinky Santibañez to the Philippine Heart Center for a surgery, which, like Herminia's also proved successful principally because of the overwhelming response from benevolent readers.

Other beneficiaries were security guard Joe Marie Cambaris who was shot while on duty in 1996, for whom the paper raised funds unfortunately, he died shortly after the operation; kidney patient Bryan Bordi Geocadin, who in 1997, received moral, spiritual and financial help; however, died and failed to fulfill his wish of seeing and hugging his mother for the last time.

Also in 1997, readers shared in the mission of helping 11-month-old burn victim Choki Padronia, and 3-year-old Love Joy Castillo, who had a hole in her heart.

In 2004, STAR readers followed up the story of another burn victim, Thelma Panes, 32, from Hinoba-an town, in Negros Occidental, who has received help from the paper, in cooperation with groups and private individuals for her series of surgeries in Manila.

A mother of three, Thelma was a victim of business jealousy when, in the evening of May 4 of that year, her neighbor, Rosee Aque, threw gasoline at her, and set her afire, burning almost her entire body. Thelma suffered second and third degree burns.

She has since been assisted by STAR columnist lawyer Andy Hagad in her pursuit to attain justice.

Worthy of mention, too, are the help from the Bacolod-based International Care Ministries Philippines, Seacrest Foundation, Philippine Airlines, foreign donors, and Token Lizares who did a concert for Thelma, among many other donors, who shared a part of themselves, to try to repair Thelma's physical and innermost brokenness.

The Guimaras oil spill led to the assistance for Jemhel Galleto, a 14-year-old boy in Cabalagnan, Nueva Valencia, whose health problem was brought to the front page of the paper after St. La Salle Mass Communications students stumbled into his case while interviewing oil spill victims in an evacuation site. An online reader, who requested anonymity, along with some other readers, sent funds for the twin operation of Jehmel to correct his congenital problem - not able to normally defecate since infancy.

Complications led to mounting bills - more than P300,000, almost one-third of which has remained unpaid. With the intervention of government officials and concerned readers, the boy was discharged mid-

February this year from the Iloilo Doctors' Hospital after almost 50 days following his second surgery.

A number of babies had received help from the STAR through funds given by walk-in donors, and unwavering financial support from other benefactors who have constantly showered the STAR with funds, in turn given to these indigent "angels" who had to carry the burden of life that maybe, only heavens know the reason why.

Space wouldn't be enough for the STAR to say Thank You to those unsung Good Samaritans, without whom, the mission of helping transform and touch lives would only be half-fulfilled.

Indeed, the DAILY STAR has not only served as an information vehicle but also as a means of touching and healing needy people's lives. * GCTejida III

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