Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region V (Bicol)
Schools Division Office
PERPETUAL HELP NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
City of Iriga
phnhs_1976@yahoo.com
(054) 299-15-54
Senior High School
Title: The Complexity of Life

Setting: Hospital

Characters:

John Silva – the cancer patient

Mr. Silva – John’s father

Harry – John’s nurse

Doctor Jerry – John’s doctor

(At the hospital chapel)

Narrator: The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable,to

be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived
well.

John Silva is 17, suffering from stage 4 brain cancer or glioblastoma. But unlike any
other cancer patients, he is very wild, not willing to lose every second of his life.

When he learned that he is suffering from that kind of illness, instead of frowning and
drowning in her own misery, he stands up… ready to fight.

Not until…

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

[Another Arm’s by Coldplay plays]

[silence]

Narrator: John will scream out of nowhere. He is praying. But at this moment, he
doesn’t know that his illness has reached its full growth.

He will start to cry, not because of the pain but the thought of wasting her 17 years
for nothing.

John: I can’t take this anymore. (while crying)

Lord God, why have you done this to me? Of all people why did you let me to suffer?
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region V (Bicol)
Schools Division Office
PERPETUAL HELP NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
City of Iriga
phnhs_1976@yahoo.com
(054) 299-15-54
Senior High School
[prays softly]

[then he will burst into panic again]

John: NO!

Narrator: He was diagnosed 4 years ago and until then Harry attended all her
needs.

Harry: Jesus Christ! What happened? (panting)

[Harry will help John stand up and will slowly help her back into his room]

(At John’s room)

Narrator: Only a few moments of his time is left.

Mr. Silva: Oh my God! Son! Son! Doc... Doc!

Doctor Jerry: Your son has reached the 4th stage of brain cancer.

[Mr. Silva will be shocked and will feel so weakly]

Doctor Jerry: The average survival time is 12-18 months - only 25% of glioblastoma
or brain cancer patients survive more than one year, only 5% of patients survive
more than five years.

Narrator: Mr. Silva will be shocked and confused from what he heard. He will panic
and go to the other side of the room and will throw things away to the floor.

Meanwhile Doc. Jerry will try to keep Mr. Silva calm. But Mr. Silva didn’t listen to
Doc. Jerry…

[Mr. Silva will shout indistinctly]

Doc. Jerry:

[John will open his eyes slowly]

Narrator: There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page
and closing the book.

John: What is happening, dad? Can we go home already? I’m feeling okay now.
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region V (Bicol)
Schools Division Office
PERPETUAL HELP NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
City of Iriga
phnhs_1976@yahoo.com
(054) 299-15-54
Senior High School
Narrator: Mr. Silva looked at his son weakly. Tired of everything yet still want to
fight. He knows that soon he will be closing a chapter in his life but never the book
because he will hold on to the memories.

John: Papa, will I gonna be okay? Can you help me? I’m in so much pain.

Narrator: Mr. Silva will hold his son’s hand.

Mr. Silva: You are the most wonderful thing that happened to my life. Ever since
your mother has left us, you are the one of the reasons that keep me waking up and
ready to fight every day.

[When You Believe by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston will play softly on
background]

John: I will keep fighting for you. But the pain can’t keep going.

[John will feel another set of headaches which eventually has turned into seizures]

John: But… (will hug his father) I will fight. I want to see how the world will change
and people in it. I know I will die soon. But, as they say we can’t give up without a
fight.

Narrator: Despite of the struggles John is facing, he is fighting for himself and for the
people around him. Let’s not waste the life God has given us. Now, before you go
home, think about the mistakes you have done, reconcile with everyone you hurt. It
is never too late.

No to suicide. No to self-harm.

[mellow music playing]

-END-

GROUP MEMBERS:
JAMES AMPONGAN
MARK JOSEPH PAZ
CHRIS YVAN ECHANO
JOSEPH DIALOGO
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region V (Bicol)
Schools Division Office
PERPETUAL HELP NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
City of Iriga
phnhs_1976@yahoo.com
(054) 299-15-54
Senior High School