Breaking: Leukemia claims life of Martin Lintag

Martin Lintag succumbed to leukemia on April 21, 2109, three month short of his 31st birthday.

Richmond, B.C.

After long battle with leukemia, Martin Lintag passes away April 21

By Ted Alcuitas

Less than two years after he was diagnosed with leukemia, Martin Lintag passed away last Sunday, April 21 at 11:30 PM.

This is the Facebook post by cousin, Annabelle Lacorta Basco:

Ammabelle Lacorte Basco

April 22 at 2:29 AM ·

“It is with profound sadness that I inform you of the passing of my beloved cousin, Martin Lintag, at 11:30pm on Sunday, April 21 after a courageous battle with leukemia. He was surrounded by his loving parents, Bong and Linda, his loving Auntie Fely and Tito Ed , and his loving friend Jess Johnson.

My Uncle Bong and Auntie Linda have asked me to pass on their heartfelt thanks to family and friends for their prayers, their words of encouragement, their expressions of love and their support during Martin’s battle with leukemia.”

Ammabelle Lacorte Basco

We will announce wake details as soon as we receive them.

Rest in peace, Martin. The Fil-Canadian and the Vancouver community pitched in to find the bone marrow match for Martin. It took sometime. There is an urgent need to build a blood reserve to help the likes of Martin Lintag. You are now with the angels in God’s warm embrace. Dying is just the beginning.

” The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. ”

1John 2:17″

The 30-year-old accountant was diagnosed with mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia) a few days after his 30th birthday in July 2018. 

According to his Facebook post before his death, he  had been “super active prior to my diagnosis – playing dodgeball as part of the Vancouver Dodgeball League, ultimate Frisbee as part of the Vancouver Ultimate League, beach and indoor volleyball as part of Urban Rec and Volleyball BC, and coaching and bowling in 10-pin leagues for years – so it all came as a surprise”.

Almost 600 people stepped up in February this year in a stem cell donour drive to help saved his life, The Richmond News reported at the time.

A GoFund Me drive raised just over $70,000 in its $100,000 goal with over a thousand people donating in 9 months.

pastedGraphic.png

Martin Lintag is fighting leukemia and desperately needs a stem cell transplant to survive. (Richmond News)

“Seeing such a huge turnout really gave his family hope and encouragement,” said one of the event organizers, Joyce Chiang.

Previous stem cell drives for Lintag, who is of Filipino descent, have not enjoyed a high turnout and he’s still waiting to find a match”, reports The Richmond News.

Lintag’s family has already lost his only brother, Oscar. In response, Martin stamped Oscar’s memory into Richmond by organizing yearly sports tournaments with Richmond’s bowling community and Richmond Secondary School, to commemorate Oscar.

As of 2015, Southeast Asians, including people of Filipino descent, form less than two per cent of Canada’s database, and Canada does not access donors registered in the Philippines.

 

Friend and ina-anak, (godchild) Valerie de los Santos (right) remembered Martin with this post. (Facebook)

“Moments before this photo was taken, my Ninong Bong Lintag laughed at us both for having such naturally huge smiles.

Martin, I hope you continue to smile your infectious smile up in Heaven.

Until we meet again, Rest In Peace.”

After graduating in Arts from the University of British Columbia in 2010, he proceeded to obtain a Diploma in Accounting from the same university in 2012. He obtained his professional designation as a Certified General Accountant of British Columbia in 2014.

Before he was stricken with cancer, Martin worked with Ritchie Bros. as a Financial Analyst.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top