UST MEDICINE student Sofia Julianne Bautista had her academic journey turned upside down when, just one semester into medical school, she began experiencing low-grade fevers, fatigue, bruising, paleness and a near-fainting episode she initially dismissed as routine exhaustion.
She later recognized warning signs she had previously overlooked, such as persistent pain in her nape, severe breathlessness after climbing a single flight of stairs in the San Martin de Porres building, and a pallor she tried to conceal with repeated applications of lip tint.
Her growing struggle to climb stairs without extreme fatigue eventually pushed her to seek medical evaluation. What started as a request for elevator access quickly escalated into a medical emergency.
Upon admission, Bautista underwent blood transfusions and a bone marrow biopsy, which confirmed she had acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow.
The diagnosis abruptly interrupted what she believed was the beginning of her medical career.
“Gumuho ‘yong mundo ko,” she told the Varsitarian. “I was already in a place where I was reaching my dreams, … and then it was taken away abruptly by a disease I was studying during my undergraduate days.”
Bautista earned her undergraduate degree in medical technology from UST in June 2023 and enrolled at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery the following year to pursue her long-held ambition of becoming a physician.
She filed a leave of absence in February 2025 to focus on treatment. During her initial chemotherapy sessions, she attempted to continue studying, but the cognitive effects — what she described as “chemo brain” — forced her to stop.
Unable to continue her studies, she turned to puzzles, games, coloring books and rewatching familiar shows to keep her mind active. She said she did not want to feel stagnant while her body slowed down.
Her treatment was marked by severe complications, including sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection. At one point, she feared she was nearing multiple organ failure and believed she might not survive.
Her recovery also required prolonged isolation due to her weakened immune system. For several months, she remained largely confined to her room, with her mother as her primary companion. Messages from loved ones encouraged her to persevere, though the absence of physical presence weighed heavily on her.
Still, the thought that others were waiting for her became one of the strongest sources of motivation she held onto.
In September 2025, she underwent a bone marrow transplant and eventually entered remission. When her doctor asked if she was ready to return to medical school by January, Bautista did not hesitate.
An arrangement with Medicine officials, including the faculty secretary, Assoc. Prof. Citadel de Castro, allowed her to gradually reintegrate into academic life while prioritizing her recovery. After months of strict isolation, adjusting to crowded hallways and classrooms proved challenging.
As she resumed her studies, Bautista also began rebuilding her physical strength through regular exercise, proper nutrition and adequate rest.
Despite the interruption, her resolve to pursue a career in medicine has only strengthened.
“Medicine has always been a passion of mine, but it was also such a driving force during cancer. I really wanted to be a doctor,” she said.
She added that her experience has reshaped her perspective on both her education and her future practice. Having gone through illness herself, she said she now reflects more deeply on the kind of physician she hopes to become and the empathy she aims to extend to her patients.
Now gradually returning to student life, Bautista hopes her story serves as a reminder not to take everyday moments for granted.
“It’s a privilege to be able to get up in the morning, go to school, and worry about the more mundane things. Don’t take anything for granted no matter how little you think something is, appreciate it while it’s there,” she said.
