MANILA – Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago remains optimistic about life despite her health condition.

In a virtual interview during the Binibining Pilipinas coronation night on Sunday, Santiago shared that she has an autoimmune disease and renal failure that requires her to undergo dialysis five times a week while she waits for a kidney transplant.

• Bea Rose Santiago remains optimistic despite 5x weekly dialysis

Nonetheless, Santiago does not let her situation dim her light.

“It’s either you get better or you get bitter. It’s really that simple. You have to take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, a better version of yourself or it will consume you,” she said.

“I don’t want my pain to make me a victim. I want my story, my battle to make me someone else’s inspiration,” she added.

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Opening up about the kind of mindset that she chooses to live by, Santiago said: “I learned that if you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining. You have to think positively and you are braver than you believe and stronger than you think.”

It was back in 2018 when Santiago first opened up about her chronic kidney disease, a condition she said was a result of her "gym life."