Survivor says early cancer detection saves life, money

CEBU, Philippines - A breast cancer survivor has advised all women to have regular checkups even when they see or feel no signs of breast cancer saying that early detection is the key to have higher chances of surviving cancer.

Filomena Sy has shared what she encountered in her almost 10 years as vice president of Cebu Cancer Fight, an organization dedicated to aid those with cancer, during the one of the episodes of RAFI’s Pagtuki, which is aired over radio dyLA 909 AM every Saturday at 10-11 a.m.

“Ayaw tinalawan og hadlok, ipa-checkup dayon, early detection saves life and money,” Sy said.

First is the breast self-examination at the age of 20 years old. Second is annual clinical breast examination done by trained professionals by the time women reaches age 30. Third is annual mammogram at the age of 50 years and above.

A breast cancer survivor, Sy knows what it feels to have cancer, how despair often keeps on gnawing at your spirit.

“Even though 13 years (have passed), sometimes sakit pa gihapon. When I was diagnosed I really felt the love of my siblings. Due to mastectomy, one toy nalang ko bahalag opaw gihagkan sa akong bana akong ulo,” she said.

She said patients almost always do not have money for the treatment, and this causes them to give up.

This is the reason why there are organizations that are working to help cancer patients successfully hurdle cancer in their lives.

Among such organizations is the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC), which is holding office at the CUPSI building beside Cebu Maternity along B. Rodriguez St. near Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

RAFI EJACC provides free surgery to those with stage 1 and stage 2 breast cancer. It also offers free mammography all year round. Another service it offers is free pap smear for woman (requires a doctor’s note). RAFI EJACC caters event to those from provinces outside Cebu.

According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the leading cause of death to woman in both developing and developed countries.  And according to the Deparment of Health, breast cancer incidents in the Philippines is the highest in Asia.

In 2012, the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology said that three out of 100 Filipino women would get breast cancer before the age of 75 and one out of 100 will die before reaching the said age. Risk factors include familial history of cancer, early menstruation, and not having given birth.

RAFI’s Pagtuki program, one of the knowledge sharing and advocacy capabilities of RAFI, tackles timely and relevant issues on community development, politics and governance, micro-financing, education, environment, early childhood care and development, and culture and heritage that affect the Cebuano community.

For more information about RAFI’s radio program, please contact Roxanne Catalan at 418-7234 loc. 542, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph, or follow @rafiorgph on Twitter. — PR/GMR (FREEMAN)