MANILA, Philippines - Rep. Rose Marie “Baby†J. Arenas and daughter Rachel “Baby†Arenas, vice chairperson of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) San Carlos City Chapter, embarked on a surgical and medical mission this month, the Operation Tanggal Bukol atbp., with the massive strength of hundreds of able and selfless volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical workers who conducted surgeries, medical consultation, distribution of free medicines, in collaboration with the International College of Surgeon, Philippine Section, the Specialized Group Hospital and Trauma Center, Provincial Health Office of Pangasinan and the Region 1 Medical Center.
The goal was to provide surgery, medical services and medicines to indigent patients in poor communities. Health professionals and workers flocked to the Arenas farm in Malasiqui, Pangasinan, where clinic have been set up for surgeries and medical consultation, a pharmacy to dispense free medicines from vitamins to antibiotics including anti tuberculosis medications and a conduct laboratory works.
This surgical and medical mission included a month-long pre-screening of surgical patients provided by the Specialized Group Hospital and Trauma Center through the generosity of Drs. Carlito and Thelma Arenas, outgoing President of the International College of Surgeons (ICS) Pangasinan. Even patients who were not screened but required urgent surgery then were nonetheless attended to.
The Social Hall at the Arenas Farm was transformed into a virtual hospital complex with a self-contained operating room complete with medical equipments and supplies. A team of 40 doctors, divided into five surgical teams, nurses and medical support volunteers came in full force, performing about a hundred surgeries, at a pace of five surgeries at a time. Over 500 patients were given medical checkups by specialists and almost a thousands were dispensed with free essential medicines to its full prescribed dosage and laboratory works.
The constituents were overwhelmed with gratitude to the indefatigable mother and daughter team. Through the medical and surgical mission, some patients with malignant growths were given instant relief and can now face a more promising future.
It was truly an important event in the lives of the poor who were fortunate enough to be treated with much compassion and skill of the very able and experienced surgeons, and to be shown the tender loving care of Rep. Baby and Rachel, who were present during the surgeries, even if only to hold the hands of the sick to ease their pain. Such is the healing touch of their love and service to the people.
Typical of Rep. Baby, the hostess par excellence, is to make sure everyone is cared for so meals were served to all the patients, while the medical team feasted on all Filipino-dish of vegetables picked from the garden, fresh seafood, fruits in season, and local delicacies of bibingka and kakanin all throughout the day from lunch, merienda and finally, dinner at the Nipa Hut of the Arenas farm. Capping the day was Mass at the Monastery of the Poor Clares of St. James the Apostle.
Rep. Baby and Rachel did not mind that the medical mission came at a huge financial cost, seeing the happy faces of the healed was enough. They were humbled and grateful for the valiant efforts of all the volunteers who have made this possible because it was truly a shining moment of saving and changing lives.