Life-to-the-Max: Helping women fight osteoporosis

Facing the facts might be hard, but the truth of the matter is that the disease known as osteoporosis is a real threat to any woman of any age.

Causing bones to lose mass and become brittle, osteoporosis leads to painful fractures and often, the loss of height and rounded shoulders. Osteoporosis is a highly prevalent illness, affecting 75 million people worldwide. Prevention is key for those who are fortunate enough not to be suffering from it, but know that those who have osteoporosis need not sit back and let the disease take over.

"Life-to-the-Max," the osteoporosis advocacy of Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Philippines and the Osteoporosis Society of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (OSPFI), is taking each woman by the hand and encouraging her to take action.

The advocacy, launched last Feb. 28, is bent on increasing awareness on the illness as well as urging the country’s female population to take appropriate steps toward its prevention and more importantly, its treatment.

Getting tested for bone mineral density (BMD) initializes the process while the diagnosis from the test gives women direction on tackling osteoporosis.

If you do not have osteoporosis yet, then there are ways to prevent its advent, and Life-to-the-Max addresses the sufferers, women who already have osteoporosis. Advanced treatment is now available to help them.

A new once-weekly osteoporosis medicine called alendronate plus cholecalciferol is the first and only treatment that contains a weekly dose of two therapies – alendronate, the world’s leading osteoporosis medicine, and vitamin D (cholecalciferol).

Vitamin D plays a vital role in ensuring that the body can absorb calcium from both food and supplements. Without it, one would not be able to receive the benefits of calcium.

In addition, it may have positive effects on muscle strength and body sway, helping to avoid falls and thus, fracture risks especially for older people. Commercials and advertisements everywhere have talked about the dangers of contracting osteoporosis. MSD’s Life-to-the-Max campaign furthers the advocacy by choosing a credible person to speak out about the disease and epitomize what living life to the max meant exactly.

Respected actress and devoted wife and mother Boots Anson-Roa, during a recent speaking engagement with the MSD’s sales force, equated Life-to-the-Max with living one’s life with passion. And this is one woman knows what she is talking about.

An active individual since her early years, Boots has kept up the pace until now (she’s proudly 61), by taking care of her body and well-being. She goes to the gym two to three times a week, waking up at 6:30 a.m. to do so, and goes to Mass every day because being complete means caring not just for the body but also the soul.

As the executive director of Mowelfund, which benefits marginalized workers of the film industry, and an instructor at three of the country’s top universities, Boots says a vital factor has been "living my life not only for myself but to others as well."

The Life-to-the-Max advocacy complements her beliefs as it provides women with information and guidance on combating osteoporosis, and in spite of contracting it, continuing to extract the best and most out of life.

Boots related that she has, in fact, taken the BMD test that resulted in her being better informed about osteoporosis and at the same time, led to her increased conviction regarding the advocacy.

"Know that I am proud and happy to be joining MSD in this advocacy. Living Life-to-the-Max means sharing, caring, and loving," she said.

With the help of advanced treatment, osteoporosis is no reason to stop living life to the fullest.

Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) is a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first.

Established in 1891, MSD discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines in more than 20 therapeutic categories.

For additional information on osteoporosis, consult your doctor. Only a doctor can recommend the best treatment option and provide individual patients with realistic expectations from treatment results.

For other concerns, MSD can be reached through its customer call center at 878-6338 or toll-free 1-800-1-888-6737.