Tirso regular na ang pagpapa-check up!

Iwas cancer…

Sa paggunita ng World Cancer Day nga­yong February, nag-organisa ang Hope From Within, isang multi-stakeholder advocacy program na pinamumunuan ng MSD Philippines, ng isang forum na may temang Voi­ces of Hope: a new era in lung cancer care.

Sa ginanap na forum sa Manila Diamond Hotel, iba’t ibang issue tungkol sa cancer ang napag-usapan kabilang na rito ang paglaganap ng lung cancer sa Pilipinas at ang fighting chance nito para sa mga pasyente na may naturang sakit.

Ayon sa datos noong 2018, “International Agency for Research on Cancer recorded 18.1 million new cases of cancer and 9.6 million deaths worldwide, with over 80,000 people of those deaths occurring in the Philippines. This alarming statistic puts cancer as a top healthcare burden, not just locally but also worldwide.

“Among all cancers, lung cancer remains to be one of the most common in the world and in the country, and one of the deadliest in terms of being a non-communicable disease. In 2018, more than 17,000 cases of lung cancer were recorded in the Philippines, and more than 15,000 deaths occurred out of these incidences.”

Na-highlight sa naturang event na sa kabila ng napakataas na statistic ng bilang ng mga Filipino cancer patients, napakalaki pa rin ng chance na makaka-survive sila.

Mas marami na ring treatment options na accessible dahil sa  research at collaborative action, ganundin sa mga bagong mandato tulad ng National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA).

Present sa event ang bagong ambassador ng Hope From Within, ang veteran actor and lung cancer survivor Tirso Cruz III. Nasa event din ang broadcast journalist and Hope From Within’s first ever ambassador Diego Castro, veteran actress and caregiver Susan Africa. Parte rin ng panel si Dr. Herdee Luna, multimedia associate ng Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO).

Ilan sa mga napag-usapan ay ang kanilang karanasan sa naturang sakit. Common knowledge na yumao noong 2018 ang asawa ni Susan Africa na si Spanky Manikan dahil sa lung cancer.

Ayon naman kay Tirso, importante na magkaroon ng regular check up. “Sa pagpapagaling, nothing beats early detection. According to medical experts, there’s a higher chance of survival when a disease like cancer is detected early. So anong dapat gawin? Do what most people do regularly. Have your regular check-ups. Magpa-check-up at the soonest possible time.”

Sobrang awakening para sa aktor ang pagkakaroon ng nasabing sakit. Lesson daw ito para mas alagaan ang ating sarili. “Not because you’re feeling well it means everything is okay,” dagdag pa niya.