Despite having a perm catether attached to her body, Bea Rose Santiago didn’t bother to cover up as she hit the waves during a much-needed getaway in La Union recently.
At the beach, the 29-year-old beauty queen rocked a two-piece swimsuit which bared not only her toned physique but also the medical tube (also known as a permcath or dialysis catheter) as part of the dialysis for her chronic kidney disease.
“Such a brave woman,” was how many fans and followers described the Miss International 2013 about the courageous act.
In early of May, Bea similarly made online waves after sharing videos of her, still with the permcath attached to her right chest, during a weight training session in which she did weighted squats and core workouts on Instagram.
“Don't worry guys I can still kick as* and lift. In life, it’s either feel bad about your situation and cry, but for me? That’s not an option,” she wrote.
"Going through kidney failure and dialysis is very depressing and overwhelming, I cry myself to sleep sometimes because although I have many many amazing friends and a loving family, no one can really understand me. At some point I wanted to give up.......... [I went in deep] but I realized I’m Bea Santiago—a badass and my dogs needs their mom,” she added.
It was in December last year when Bea announced that she was suffering from a chronic kidney disease via an Instagram post.
“Yes, I will be needing a life saving transplant. I live because of a machine, my dialysis machine and the doctors and nurses at Home Hemo Dialysis centre in Toronto General. I am blessed and I will continue to spread positivity to the world,” she wrote.
She continued, “I am in a good place now but my heart isn’t. It’s not easy and will only get harder! I am not asking for sympathy I am asking for awareness.
“At 16 I had IGA Nephropathy stage 1. I suffered from UTI’s when I was younger, food poisoning and stress. Apparently its genetics and popular in Asians, so please get checked!
“I am healthy and I workout regularly none of my family suffers from kidney related illnesses but things like this happens. Does not mean I’m done. I’m unstoppable and will be healed! God loves me and he keeps showering me with love and blessings from friends and family! I am lucky and I am loved! Bad kidneys can kiss my @$$!”
After almost four months of going back and forth to the hospital for medical treatment, Bea has been able to have her dialysis done at home since December.
She is also set to undergo a transplant soon.