A Soldier’s Triumph: How Hemophilia Advocates-Philippines Gave Rowe Jay Bonabon New Life

…with courage, community, and determination, even the toughest battles can be won.

For Rowe Jay Bonabon, life has always been a battle—one not only against the outside world but against his own body. Diagnosed with severe hemophilia A at age two, even the smallest injury could lead to days of unrelenting bleeding. By age eleven, he faced a life-threatening brain clot that pushed his family into constant fear and isolation.

"I felt hemophilia was stealing my life," Rowe Jay recalls. “I missed out on friendships, school, and the freedom to simply live.”

In 2015, everything changed when Rowe Jay found Hemophilia Advocates-Philippines (HAP) through a Facebook group. For the first time, he found a community that understood his struggles. HAP not only provided medical support but gave him a sense of belonging he’d never felt before. Surrounded by others who refused to let their condition define them, Rowe discovered his own strength and purpose.

With support from HAP and a scholarship from Virtualahan, Rowe Jay built a career as a virtual assistant, finding dignity and independence in remote work.

“It wasn’t easy, but I never gave up,” he says.

Today, he uses his journey to inspire others, mentoring young members of HAP and sharing a message of hope: no challenge is too great when you have the right support.

For Rowe Jay, hemophilia is no longer a curse—it’s a part of his story but doesn’t define his life. His journey from isolation to advocacy shows that with courage, community, and determination, even the toughest battles can be won.