THREE years nang in remission ang ’90s balladeer na si Chad Borja pagkatapos ng kanyang 15-year battle with thyroid cancer.
Noong 1997 na-diagnose na merong first stage thyroid cancer si Chad at nagpapasalamat ito ngayon dahil isa siyang cancer survivor.
“When I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer 19 years ago, I really thought na katapusan ko na iyon. Sobra akong na-depress that time.
“Kasi naman, bakit sa may lalamunan ko pa? Ang pag-awit ang puhunan ko tapos doon pa ako nagkaroon ng sakit.
“But the doctors caught it sa early stage pa lang kaya I went through an operation para matanggal ’yung mass and went through chemotherapy.
“Naisip ko na lang that time, mawala na ang boses ko basta buhay ako.
“I have three daughters at ayoko silang iwan. Basta buhay lang ako kahit hindi na ako makakanta, okey lang.
“That’s why I am very thankful because God did not just give me a second chance to live, pero nandito pa rin ang boses ko.
“And I was able to see my daughters grow up during my recovery period. Now they are all grown-up na. Their ages are 23, 15 and 12.
“God is good for giving me another chance at life,” ngiti pa niya.
Every six months ay nagpapa-check up si Chad at mayroon siyang mga gamot bilang maintenance. Iniba na rin niya ang kanyang nakasanayang lifestyle.
“8:30 p.m. pa lang ay tulog na ako. I wake up at 4 a.m. and I jog. I exercise daily at pati mga kinakain ko ay iniba ko na.
“Wala na ’yung mga dating bisyo natin. Hindi na tayo bata, eh. Fifty years old na tayo. Golden Boy na kaya dapat lang magbago na,” ngiti pa ni Chad.
Sa darating na Feb. 13 ay kasama si Chad sa malaking Valentine show sa PICC Plenary Hall titled “#LoveThrowback.”
Kasama niya rito sina Rico Puno, Marco Sison, Gino Padilla, Raymond Lauchengco, Wency Cornejo, Roselle Nava, and Nina. (Ruel J. Mendoza)