In a room jam-packed with women, professional image consultant and Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 1997 Abbygale Arenas-de Leon talks about a topic that is not about applying makeup or taking care of your skin or making first impressions last. Abbygale addresses the women in a barrio in Vigan about a more pressing matter that is beyond taking care of their skin.
With urgency, Abbygale tells the women to take care of their overall health for the sake of their children and families so that they won’t die from a preventable disease like cervical cancer, which can easily be cured if detected early.
According to Abbygale, cervical cancer ranks the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer in the Philippines. But about two-thirds of cervical cancer in the country are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to inadequate facilities and the lack of initiative from women themselves to get a pap smear or screening for the disease.
Abbygale feels duty-bound to disseminate information to Filipino women that they need not die nonsensically from cervical cancer because it is preventable and curable through early detection and diagnosis.
She recently joined Bravehearts in the “Tour of Hope- Philippines, Going the Xtra Mile to X-out Cervical Cancer,” a 500-km. bike tour from Ilocos Sur to Zambales to promote cervical cancer awareness among women. Before joining the cervical cancer campaign, Abbygale also actively advocated the campaign against breast cancer.
Abbygale says she never felt more fulfilled in her life as when she spoke to women about giving importance to their health because they matter the most to their children and families. “I do talk to them about giving themselves importance, as a woman, they should realize that many people depend on them — their husbands and children. You are a sister, a mother, a friend, ang daming roles na ginagawa. So if you don’t give importance to yourself, you put yourself in great danger. When you’re gone, what will happen to your loved ones who are left behind? So that’s my role.”
She adds: “Kahit na sino pwede tamaan nito kasi it’s viral. If you don’t give importance to yourself, baka magsisi ka sa huli. So it’s very important na ako ay asawa, nanay, kapatid, kaibigan at hindi ako pwede mawala sa isang sakit na pwede naman ma-prevent.”
At the Tour of Hope where she biked for a few kilometers and gave a talk, Abbygale saw that even in remote areas, women can now have themselves tested through the visual inspection with acetic acid or testing with low technology as dabbing a cotton to the cervix with vinegar. The health workers in the barrios are now being taught how to efficiently detect any pre-cancerous cells or virus in the cervix.
She expressed optimism that if there is a continuous flood of information and awareness about the prevention of cervical cancer in the Philippines, we can bring down the number of deaths from cervical cancer.
“In Vigan, I saw that we could make a difference if we are able to educate women, especially the health workers in barrios, they can save a lot of their neighbors, friends and colleagues if they’ve been diagnosed at an early stage,” Abbygale says.
“There is also a lot of hope for women not to get the virus because of vaccination, so we should get all the information in our hands to know more about cervical cancer, get ourselves checked, practice healthy living for the sake of our children and husbands, our family. A woman dons many hats and takes on many roles to play. She should be protected from the cervical cancer virus all the time,” Abbygale concludes.