Who is Gabriel?
“And when Gabriel is gone, I will have the pleasure of knowing that this person, my son has taught me so much and that through him, others will live and learn.”
By Pia S. Cayetano
Gabriel’s Symphony Foundation (GSF) was established in 2002 in memory of Senator Pia Cayetano’s son Gabriel, who passed away in 2001 from complications of a rare chromosomal disorder known as trisomy 13. Most children born with this condition do not survive beyond their first month, but Gabriel lived for nine months. This article was written by Gabriel’s mom when he was 8 months old.
My son, Gabriel has trisomy 13, a chromosomal disorder of the 13th chromosome. Instead of having 23 pairs, or a total of 46 chromosomes, he has 47, because he has a third chromosome 13. What does this mean? It means that from the time of conception, his genetic makeup is altered.
Come, weep with me – for joy
“The ‘luxury of grief’ is to be really in pain but to rejoice because of the higher meaning of life. When we see beauty beyond the pain and sorrow, we can truly weep but rejoice.”
By Pastor Doy Castillo
Excerpts from the article written about Pia and Gabriel in 2001 by the late Pastor Doy Castillo, spiritual adviser and a good friend of the Cayetano family.
What we know about trisomy 13 (Patau’s syndrome) is that it is a dreaded condition for those who understand something about it and an overwhelmingly shocking discovery for those who are confronted with it for the first time.
Broadly speaking, GSF aims to:
- Initiate and sustain programs and activities intended for proper medical assistance to indigent, sick, and differently abled children
- Provide character development training to underprivileged children through multisport and educational activities
- Support parents to enable them to provide necessary care and guidance for their children
As we do these, we hope that more people will also be inspired to help.
Making children’s lives better.
We hope to share this blessing with others who, like him, have special needs. We organized Gabriel’s Symphony Foundation, Inc. (GSF) after Gabriel’s demise.
– Senator Pia S. Cayetano
We were told he would only live for hours. But Gabriel lived long enough to touch our lives forever. In his short life, he gave us so much. We were blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who never left us.
In return, we hope to share this blessing with others who, like him, have special needs. We organized Gabriel’s Symphony Foundation, Inc. (GSF) after Gabriel’s demise.
Vision, Mission, Goals
Vision
To create a Philippines where underprivileged children and children with special needs are provided with the necessary assistance and support that will enable them to live a full life.
Mission
To uplift the lives of underprivileged children and children with special needs.
Philip Luke Languitan underwent free surgery on his cleft lip in 2016 at age 15 years, 11 months courtesy of Smile Train and GSF.
Goals
1. To initiate, undertake, sustain, and/or sponsor programs and activities intended to care for indigent children who are blind, deaf, and born with cleft lip and palate;
2. To initiate and sustain programs that will provide assistance to underprivileged kids who show great potential in sports, including the provision of sportswear, after-training snacks, and youth development trainings;
3. To sponsor initiatives that will ensure the health and wellbeing of underprivileged children and their families, including the administration of free vaccinations for the kids and values formation sessions for the whole family;
4. To provide proper medical and financial assistance to indigent, sick and disabled children;
5. To provide emotional and financial support to parents whose children need medical treatment;
6. To provide books and other resource materials for parents to help them understand their child’s ailment and give better care for them.
