Lydia De Vega is in critical condition after silently battling cancer for four years now according to her daughter Staphanie “Paneng” Mercado-de Koenigswarter.
Filipino track and field legend Lydia De Vega has been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and is in “very critical” condition.
President Marcos asked the Philippine Sports Commission headed by OIC Guillermo Iroy to give the necessary assistance for the ailing decorated athlete in her "toughest race."
De Vega's daughter, Stephanie “Paneng” Mercado-de Koenigswarter on Wednesday took to social media to appeal for prayers and financial help for her very seriously ill mother.
“The President instructed me during the courtesy call when I briefed him to extend necessary assistance to Lydia,” Iroy said.
The former De La Salle Lady Spiker revealed that her condition right now is due to the complications caused by her stage 4 breast cancer, which she has been silently fighting since 2018.
Once considered Asia’s fastest woman in her prime, De Vega is a two-time Olympian, representing the Philippines in the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Aside from the Olympics, Lydia also won four Asian Athletics Championship gold medals, multiple Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games titles and set a national record in 100m, clocking 11.28 seconds which stood for 33 years.
De Vega was last seen publicly in the 2019 SEA Games opening ceremonies in Bocaue, Bulacan, where she carried the flag with Akiko Thomson, Eric Buhain, Alvin Patrimonio, Bong Coo, Efren “Bata” Reyes, Onyok Velasco, and Paeng Nepomuceno.
Paneng then appealed for prayers and financial assistance for the medical expenses of her 57-year-old mother.
The De Vega family is accepting donations through BPI account number 3209095644 and could get in contact with the family through her cell phone number 09196005224.
Tags: #trackandfieldlegend, #athletics, #Olympics