UPDATE: We are getting desperate. Funds aren't coming, and Julieta is already showing signs of going into labour. We urgently need at least US$2000. If you can help with $20, $50, $100, we might still get there in time. Hugs and thanks

Our baby girl, Bella Maree, could arrive at any moment, and we are terrified we may not be able to afford the emergency care needed to keep her and Julieta safe. We urgently need $US5000 (300,000 pesos) to make this possible, and any contribution will be hugely appreciated.

My partner Julieta is now 35 weeks pregnant. This is considered a high-risk pregnancy due to complications, including the baby currently being breech and the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Because of this, doctors have warned us that emergency intervention — including the possibility of a C-section — may be necessary.

We already have a wonderful 10-year-old daughter, and we never imagined we would find ourselves in a position where we would need to ask strangers for help just to afford safe medical care for our second child.

We live in the Philippines, where hospital expenses, prenatal care, medications, scans, and hospital bed costs must often be paid immediately and continuously during treatment. We are trying desperately to stay ahead of those expenses, but we are falling behind.

I am a New Zealand writer who spent years earning a living through articles, fiction, and commercial writing work. Since the pandemic — and with AI replacing much of the freelance writing work I once relied on — finding enough steady income has become incredibly difficult.

Julieta runs a small online clothing business, but we have been hit by a string of setbacks over the last few years. Two suppliers disappeared after taking deposits for clothing shipments from Japan, our only phone was stolen, and business communication problems have badly affected her ability to recover sales.

Despite everything, we have continued trying to work, sell, write, and survive without asking for help. But with the birth approaching so quickly, we have run out of time.

The funds raised here will go directly toward:

prenatal care and medications

hospital and delivery costs

emergency C-section expenses if required

rent and food during the birth period

baby essentials and recovery costs

Any support — no matter how small — helps give our daughter a safer start in life.

To say thank you, I’m making my novels and short stories available for free during the fundraiser through my Payhip page.

https://payhip.com/BingBangBooks

We know many people are struggling right now, and asking for help publicly is not easy for us. But right now our focus is simple: keeping Julieta and our baby safe.

Thank you for reading, sharing, or helping in any way.

BTW if the funding currency shows in pesos, here’s a rough guide: $5 US = P300; $20 US = P1200; $50 US = P3000. Hopefully that helps.