Arzen Rose Dulzura

Bea Santiago opens up about her journey as a kidney failure survivor and transplant warrior

Article (news)

E. Kristhoff Cagape

Push Team

Bea Santiago opened up about her battle with kidney failure and her road to recovery as a transplant survivor.In an interview with Bianca Gonzalez on TFC&#x27;s BRGY, the former beauty queen recalled being diagnosed with kidney failure at 28, more than a decade after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease at age 16.&quot;I was going through severe migraines, akala mo migraines. And then nagpu-puke na ako and sobrang sakit ng ulo ko. Normal lang ito, once a month, and then naging three times a month, hanggang naging every week, naging every day na I couldn&#x27;t eat na because every time, I was just puking it out,&quot; she recalled.Bea then went to the hospital. &quot;I forced myself to go to the ER here sa Philippines and they themselves couldn&#x27;t figure out what&#x27;s wrong with me until my urinalysis and we figured out my creatinine was too high for it to be normal,&quot; she recounted.A biopsy later showed that her kidneys were barely functioning. &quot;It took me two weeks to do a biopsy, and we figured out that both of my kidneys are 15 percent function. And they were shocked because I looked normal. I looked healthy. And then &#x27;yun pala sa loob it was already failing so the doctors put me aside and then told me, &#x27;If you were my sister, I would do transplant ASAP,’&quot; she shared.Still in denial, Bea sought a second opinion in Japan but received the same urgent recommendation. &quot;Matigas ulo ko. I was 28. I just started my world in the industry. I was doing acting and I was getting more jobs. I was in denial so I went to Japan to get a second opinion and dun pa lang, pagpasok ko pa lang sa doctor and she saw my lab reports and they were like, &#x27;You need to go where your donors are right now before hindi ka na maka-fly or you will be too weak to fly.&#x27; Within the next day, we have to fly to Canada,&quot; she said.She flew to Canada, where her family lives, and was immediately placed on dialysis while preparing for a transplant. &quot;It was overwhelming, dun ako parang sinampal ng reality,&quot; she recalled. &quot;I was just thankful na nandun &#x27;yung family ko and it was pre-pandemic or else hindi ko alam how to navigate through that. They helped me figure out ano yung one by one na gagawin namin.&quot;<div><iframe width="928" height="522" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RkANYl8isDw" title="Bea Santiago Opens Up About Her Fight Against Kidney Failure | November 13, 2025 | EP 18" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>All of her family members volunteered to donate a kidney, but it was her younger brother who ultimately became her donor.&quot;I was afraid because he&#x27;s my baby brother, my little baby,&quot; she admitted. &quot;I was so scared kasi I&#x27;m an ate before anything else... So before he even decided to go through it, I made him a promise na if you&#x27;re gonna do this, I want you to pinky promise that you will be in your best health forever. And you&#x27;re not gonna drink, you&#x27;re not gonna smoke. You&#x27;re not gonna do anything crazy that will make me feel bad.&quot;The Miss International 2013 went on: &quot;And I made him a promise that if you&#x27;re gonna give me your kidney, wala ka ng choice, forever na tayong dikit. Buy one take one na tayong dalawa.&quot;Bea&#x27;s kidney transplant was successful, marking a turning point in her life. &quot;My first word after waking up [from the transplant] was &#x27;wow.&#x27; Kasi nakalimutan ko how it feels like to be healthy, to have functioning organs. Ang bigat pala nung may sakit ako kahit nag-dialysis ako. So when I finally had my kidney, I said &#x27;wow,&#x27; pikit pa &#x27;yung mata ko but that was the word that came out. Ang sarap sa feeling ng parang malinis ka, and healthy, and happy,&quot; she stated.