Breast cancer insurance, free screening launched for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

MANILA, Philippines — Cancer affects thousands of Filipino households, making it one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines.

With a cancer diagnosis, lives change overnight, making breast cancer one of the most talked about diseases. And yet, when someone close to you is diagnosed, it still comes as a shock No one expects to develop breast cancer, but those with family history ought to be prepared for the possibility. 

About five to 10 percent of breast cancer diagnoses are hereditary, putting other family members at a higher risk than others. In 2021, the International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that there could be over 153,000 new cancer cases in the Philippines for the year, with 17.7 percent of that being breast cancer.

Around 64 percent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage, wherein the cancer hasn't spread to other parts of the body. More often than not, late detection leads to cancer that has metastasized to other parts of the body, leaving a patient with limited options for treatment. 

Metastatic or not, having breast cancer brings about problems for the family, mental stress both on the cost of treatment and the survival rate, among them. And if breast cancer takes a turn for the worst possible scenario, resulting in death, there are usually few financial resources left for the loved ones who are left behind.

To provide hope amid a breast cancer diagnosis or risk, AIA Philippines recently launched Hope for the Breast, its program that aims to protect women and their loved ones from breast cancer, spreading awareness, education, and protection from the disease. 

The program is claimed to be the first and only one of its kind, offering support to women from protection through its recently launched product AIA Breast Cancer Protect Lite, and diagnosis and treatment through its Hope Mobi Clinic, in partnership with The Medical City.

The Hope Mobi Clinic is a truck fitted with a mammogram machine to facilitate breast cancer screening in various communities. This will be kicked-off in San Juan and Pasig, and will be rolled out in other grassroot communities with low breast cancer awareness and no access to screening, which makes diagnosis a challenge. 

Through the Hope Mobi Clinic, the program hopes to make testing, early detection, and treatment (for those diagnosed through the Hope Mobi Clinic in selected areas), more accessible to women who are unable to avail of these services.

Apart from the screening, the company also launched Breast Cancer Protect Lite, its insurance plan that can provide a fixed coverage of P50,000 should the insured get diagnosed with breast cancer, or passes because of breast cancer during the one-year policy term. The customer only needs to fill-out the application form for the insured (must be aged 18 to 50 years old) and answer two health questions. 

Priced at only P450 for a year-long coverage, it's the first of the company’s products available online through their website, with the goal of making breast cancer coverage affordable and accessible to those who need it most.

Breast cancer is a life-changing illness that affects not just the patient, but especially their loved ones. But by having your monthly self-breast exams and undergoing breast ultrasound screenings, especially if you're in your early 30s and with a family history of breast cancer, preventing or detecting breast cancer early gives one a better chance at having a healthier and longer life.