Cancer awareness drive on

MANILA, Philippines - Novartis Healthcare Philippines has partnered with the Philippine Society of Medical Oncologists (PSMO), Philippine Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (PSHBT), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Philippine Foundation for Breast Care-Kasuso, Touched by Max Philippines and Balikatang Thalassemia to raise cancer awareness and help patients and their family cope with the disease.

The ONCOURAGE Health Information Advocacy, through its expert panel of cancer specialists and cancer advocates, will provide health information and updates to the general public, media and healthcare professionals to enhance cancer prevention, detection and management.

“Cancer is the third leading cause of sickness and death in the Philippines,” said PSMO president Dr. Felycette Gay Martinez-Lapus. “The most common forms of cancer among Filipinos are cancer of the lung, breast, cervix, liver, colon and rectum, prostate, stomach, mouth, ovary and leukemia.”

“Public awareness on cancer prevention is low. Most Filipino cancer patients consult a doctor only when their cancer is already in its advanced stage. As a result, cancer survival rates in the country are relatively low,” said PSHBT president Dr. Ma. Angelina Mirasol.

“The DOH lauds ONCOURAGE for helping empower the general public and medical community in our fight against cancer. Being informed is the crucial first step in the prevention, early detection and optimal management of cancer,” said Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

“We are privileged to work with our partners in helping underprivileged Filipino patients receive quality cancer treatment,” said PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II.

“ONCOURAGE combines the prefix ‘onco’ which means cancer and the word ‘courage’ which describes cancer patients, their family and the healthcare professionals battling the disease. ONCOURAGE pays tribute to and encourages these modern-day heroes. This advocacy is part of our company’s social responsibility to care for and cure Filipino patients with cancer,” said Bibiane Fontejon, oncology head of Novartis Healthcare Philippines.

ONCOURAGE is also collaborating with The Max Foundation (TMF), a US-based non-profit advocacy and patient support organization dedicated to improving the lives and survival rates of patients with blood cancer and rare cancers worldwide.

TMF is one of the partners of Novartis Healthcare Philippines in implementing the Novartis Oncology Access (NOA) Program, an innovative shared-contribution access program that helps underprivileged Filipino patients receive effective cancer therapies.

Since 2002, NOA has benefited over 3,000 socially disadvantaged Filipino cancer patients. From 2008 to 2011 alone, benefits provided by NOA to Filipino patients were valued at over P3 billion.

To date, there are 1,300 active NOA patients in the Philippines being treated by almost 300 partner-physicians.