For a group of surgeons in Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran City, the month of October plays a special part in their lives.
It’s a month where they get to gather people and raise funds for Breast Cancer patients.
According to Dr. Julienne Deo Jabonillo, for two years, they’ve been raising funds by holding benefit concerts and inviting close friends to also share in their cause.
So far, they were able to raise a total of P10,000. The funding, however, was not enough to provide support and subsidy to the diagnostics that the patients would still have to undergo.
“Our examinations at Breast Clinic in GCGMH are always free. However, ang pagpa-core needle biopsy and pagpa-mammogram, kulang pa gyud ang funds para maka-comply sa mga pasyente,” Jabonillo told Bohol Island News (BIN).
Now in its third year, the group decided to hold the concert with a bigger audience this time.
Dubbed as “Dibdiban 2019”, the concert will be held at the Coclea Bar in Tagbilaran City on Oct. 25, 6 p.m. Tickets are sold from P250 to P650.
For general admission ticket holders, they are entitled to receive one bottle for selected drinks at the venue. For Silver, it comes with pica-pica. And for Gold ticket holders, they are entitled to two bottles of selected drinks with pica-pica.
Tickets are sold at the GCGMH Surgery Office, FABLAB Bohol, and Tuko Cafe.
The concert has invited several local artists and bands to play like Ah Scream Sundae, Out of Post, Serenity, Leprechaun, and Sigswank.
Jabonillo says the group hopes to raise bigger funding from the tickets that they will be selling to the public for this event.
BREAST CANCER TOP CAUSES OF DEATH IN WOMEN
Cancer still tops the causes of death among women with illnesses.
According to a report from the Philippine News Agency (PNA), there were 30,954 cases recorded in the year 2016.
Of the total number, 16 percent of it or almost 5,000 cases is that of breast cancer.
Doctors estimate that three out of 100 Filipino women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
In February 2017, Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society released data showing that the Philippines had the highest prevalence of breast cancer among 197 countries.
There is no known cause of breast cancer. However, early detection is still key to keeping women alive and healthy.
Mammography, a simple X-ray examination of the breast, detects breast tumors long before they can be felt by the fingers. Experts advise that women take a screen test to verify risk at an early stage, especially for those women 40 years-old and above.
LATE DETECTION AMONG BREAST CANCER PATIENTS
In Bohol, however, breast cancer patients come to hospitals for treatment with already advanced stages.
“Because Breast Cancer is something that has been there, and we tend to be silent about it, here in Bohol. As a province with conservative people, most of our breast cancer patients come in the hospital with already advanced stages of this cancer, which means more cost and lesser chances of survival,” Jabonillo shared.
“Since the start of our Dept. of Surgery in Gallares, it has been an advocacy of our mentors to raise awareness about breast cancer in our Breast Clinic in GCGMH. We have assisted numerous patients already. However, only a few can avail of the necessary tests and treatments because of financial constraints,” she added.
By pushing for more people to join in their cause, Jabonillo says they aim to raise awareness and highlight the importance of early detection as the key to fighting this illness.
Apart from this benefit concert, the group of surgeons is also tapping major organizations like the Rotaract Club of Tagbilaran and Bohol Medical Society to widen their scope and promotions for bigger funding for these patients.
