Dory Buena Pediatrics, My Apostolate

CEBU, Philippines - Can one sacrifice expecting nothing in return? For Pediatrician Dory Buena choosing the path to embark on ministering to poor and needy children comes with no accident. It is God-designated. And it is not everyday nor is it everytime that God ordains those whom He wants to serve Him knowing fully well that the sacrifice will mean more sacrifices..

Dory has always been fascinated with medical knowledge and is particularly challenged with diagnosing diseases. “Learning the art and not just the science of medicine is my personal quest,” she said.

Personal quest it is. Because studying medicine is pretty expensive, most of those who pass the medical licensure board of examinations set their sights on practicing abroad or where the big bucks are. Dory treaded on a different path and headed for the hostile environs of the boondocks. “This is my way of giving back and sharing my blessings with the poor,” was how she described the challenge. Dory, who is based in Manila and has been practicing pediatrics for at least 14 years, found time for a chat with The Freeman and told us more about the defining and pivotal moments in pursuit of a personal quest to make pediatrics her apostolate.

RUTH: What particularly gave you the leading to specialize in pediatrics?

DORY: Being a doctor in the boondocks is both challenging and frustrating. I had to be contented with whatever equipment and supplies are available. I had no sophisticated gadgets to monitor my patients. But all these developed my clinical eye. Then God took me by surprise. I had in my hands a newborn baby girl with neonatal tetanus. I was just out of medical school then and did not have any formal training in pediatrics. I only had my medical books and notes to guide me. The baby survived. Her life and health were the best Christmas gift I could give to the baby and her parents. This incident stirred up in me a yearning to specialize in pediatrics. I then realized the enormous responsibility that comes with the profession.

RUTH: You chose to serve the rural areas first instead of going elsewhere. Was there a calling for you to do so?

DORY: Sometimes we need to be humbled and we have to be humble with everything that God bestows on us. We have to – in our own little way — give back all the blessings we receive by being a blessing to others.

And so after passing the medical board examinations, I served a rural area where I was assigned as Municipal Health Officer to a remote 6th class municipality composed of 10 small villages with a population of about 15,000. I was the only government medical doctor in the area. I was in charge of a small hospital with a 25-bed capacity and its outpatient clinic. My job was to implement the various government projects like the expanded program of immunization, maternal and child health care, breastfeeding programs, water sanitation, and anti tuberculosis program, among others. It became a challenge for me to stay, not only because of the poor living conditions but more so because of the many sick who needed help. It was a challenge to apply what I learned in the classroom and put into clinical practice. It was a very fulfilling experience for me as a young physician.

But it is in these dire situations that being a physician in the mission field means facing certain situations that you can never be prepared for. It is in facing situations where I am not prepared that I am humbled to trust God more in healing patients despite my inadequacies. Everything comes with prayer. Humility comes with prayer. 

RUTH: What would you consider as the most defining moment as a pediatrician?

DORY: As a doctor, every patient who gets well is a defining moment for me.

RUTH: And your most frustrating moment?

DORY: It’s always frustrating not to be able to help poor patients. The parents would rather bring the patient home against medical advice. One commonly overlooked problem in child health care in the Philippines is the mental health of children. I am not aware of any program of the government that addresses this problem. For one, Filipinos are wary of going to psychiatrists.

RUTH: Most doctors consider their being a doctor a profession. But I see in you that being a pediatrician is a personal crusade.

DORY: Most of my patients come from the marginalized sector of our society. I am glad that I can make a difference in the lives of the poor through my work. Because I am active in missionary work, I constantly update myself by attending conventions and post graduate courses. I believe medical education should be continuous. There should be no end to honing one’s craft so that in administering to patients there is also no end in the blessing I can render. To be blessed with healing hands is only by God’s grace and for God to give. That God can manifest his healing hands through me is what made me take on a pivotal crusade in making pediatrics my apostolate as God’s servant.