Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 20) – Filipino track and field queen Lydia De Vega is in “very critical” condition due to complications caused by her stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis.
In her social media post on Wednesday, De Vega’s daughter Stephanie revealed that her mother has been diagnosed with cancer in 2018, silently fighting the disease ever since.
“As the disease is progressing, her condition is quickly worsening despite undergoing many procedures including brain surgery,” said Stephanie, a former volleyball player who played for De La Salle University.
Stephanie appealed for prayers and financial assistance for the medical expenses of her 57-year-old mother.
“We are asking everyone to kindly pray for her and if anyone would like to assist us financially to cover her medical expenses, any donation would be deeply and whole-heartedly appreciated,” she added.
De Vega is one of the most decorated Filipino athletes in sports history after she brought home numerous medals in the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and Asian Athletics Championships.
The sprinting legend was dubbed as the Asia’s fastest woman in the 80s after she ruled the 100-meter dash events in the 1982 and 1986 Asian Games.
De Vega also represented the country in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.
The Filipino sports icon retired from competition in 1994. She held the 100-meter and 200-meter run national records for over three decades.
De Vega was last seen by the public in 2019, as she was among the flag bearers during the opening ceremony of the 30th Southeast Asian Games held at the Philippine Arena.
