KEVIN and Selina Alas received a very good news over the weekend when it was determined that Selina is cancer-free. Last April, Selina revealed that she had a rare cancer called gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, but recent tests stated that her bHGC-serum test is now normal.
Kevin Alas on going through ordeal with wife Selina
In a post on Instagram, Selina said she spent the first hour after getting the happy news “crying, worshipping, and thanking God” after overcoming the disease. She also said that Kevin “started dancing” after praying to say thanks to the Lord.
“I could hardly believe it,” wrote Selina in a part of her post on Instagram.
It was a tough ordeal overcame by the couple, with Kevin also making some sacrifices as an athlete in order to be by the side of his wife, while still attending to his duties as a professional athlete with NLEX.
“It’s tough pero there has been people, and answered prayers along the way,” said Alas in an interview last month.
“First priority ko si Selina. It’s the least na magagawa ko, to be with her,” said Alas.
The couple received the heartbreaking news on the morning of March 30 or before Game Four of the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals between Barangay Ginebra, which closed the series with a 112-93 victory. It was only after a month where Selina revealed that she had cancer on her Instagram account, with well-wishers from fans to athletes pouring after that.
“Mahirap,” Alas recalled on the day they received the news. “First time namin nakarinig ng ganun na we have to go through. Pero salamat sa Diyos na along the way, hindi kami pinabayaan ng Panginoon. Nagpapasalamat kami sa dasal ng mga kapatid namin, ng brethren, at buong PBA, nagpapasalamat kami, they extended their support.”
Kevin said he accompanied his wife every time as his wife went through chemotherapy, and that entailed making some decisions on his professional career.
“Meron siyang chemotherapy na one cycle is five straight days and we have to rest for a week, tapos cycle uli. Along the way, minomonitor din ‘yung liver, kidney, and everything,” said Alas.
One of the decisions Alas had to make was whether to participate in the 31st Southeast Asian Games or not. He was initially part of the Gilas Pilipinas pool which was announced before they knew that Selina had cancer.
Despite his wife’s condition, Alas said Selina was actually still pushing him to join the national team in a bid to win his second SEA Games gold after competing in Naypyidaw, Myanmar in 2013.
“At first kasi, nung na-diagnose si Selina, siyempre tinitignan namin ‘yung sitwasyon. Baka puwede. Actually, si Selina pa ang nagpu-push sa akin na sabi niya, mag-join ka na. And then on the day na ipapasok na ‘yung line-up, nakita namin na improving pero not the result that we are looking for. Kahit pinu-push niya ako, I had to make a decision na what’s right.”
The decision was not to go to Hanoi.
“Nagpaalam ako kay coach Chot, sinabi ko ‘yung sitwasyon and of course, salamat sa Diyos na napakaunderstanding nila, sila sir Butch (Antonio), sabi nila naiintindihan nila na family comes first,” said Alas.
Also very understanding was his mother ballclub NLEX, which allowed him to miss practice during that time. To make up for his time without practice, Alas said he worked out at his home gym while also being attended to by his strength and conditioning coach.
“Very grateful ako sa NLEX dahil minsan, there are days na nag-mimiss ako ng practice and they understood my situation,” said Alas, who had times where he didn’t attend practices before game day.
“Kunwari, kailangan ko mag-miss ng practice kasi kailangan namin magpunta sa ospital for check-up or swab test with the pandemic, may sarili akong home gym sa bahay and I have a strength and conditioning coach. Nako-compensate ko naman,” said Alas.
NLEX coach Yeng Guiao last June also reiterated that they understood the situation of Alas.
“He was under some stress, some worries about sa health ni Selina, naiintindihan namin ‘yun. Gumaganda na ‘yung sitwasyon. As long as he is able to focus, as long he is able to set that aside, nakukuha naman niya ‘yung laro niya,” said Guiao.
With the situation continuously improving, Alas said the biggest thanks go to the Lord for his intervention every step of the way.
“Talagang nagpapasalamat kami sa Diyos kasi sa Kanya kami bumubunot ng lakas,” said Alas.
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