Breast cancer awareness talk strengthens journey of hope

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Support groups which should be mirrors of genuine empathy are of equal importance or even more important than the awareness for the prevention of a disease because any form of disease may strike even those who live healthily.

On Saturday evening as well, Prime Medical Group General Physician Services specialist Dr. Daffodils Guevarra provided “not often discussed” preparatory to post-surgery tips.

Prime Hospital (Dubai) obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr. Iza Roelle Maniego whose specialisation among several, is on Gynaecologic Surgery, as an add-on to her “Basic Facts on Breast Cancer,” said: “There is already a clinical phase one trial on a vaccine with very good results done. The responsible entity abroad has been asking for volunteers for the clinical phase two trial. For now, there is no vaccine yet.”

These, relative to the “Journey of Hope – A Breast Cancer Awareness Talk” of the Las Damas de Rizal-Dubai and the Northern Emirates (Las Damas-DNE) in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General-Dubai (PCGDXB).

The non-profit civil organisation Las Damas-DNE is under the umbrella of the Philippine Government-acknowledged non-profit civil organisation Knights of Rizal-DNE, through Republic Act 646 which concerns the promotion of the teachings on freedom, justice, enlightenment, humanitarianism, inclusivity and diversity of the Philippines’ National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

The organisation in partnership with the Friends of Cancer Patients and the Knights of Rizal has scheduled for October 20 the “Walk of Hope” fashion creations on the catwalk at the Millenium Airport Hotel-Dubai.

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PCGDXB brought forth the message of the relevance and importance of support groups with the speech from Consular Services in-charge Vice Consul Paolo Belle Ebora: “It is essential that we recognise the emotional dimensions of breast cancer alongside its physical manifestations. A journey that impacts everyone. Let us advocate for early detection, foster support systems and continue to educate our communities. Together we can fight against breast cancer and support those affected by it.”

The “Mental Healthcare” discussion of Stage 3 survivor Skyline University College assistant professor Dr. Sharon Mendoza reverberated the need to double-check on healthcare practitioners concerning empathy.

Based on her own experience and arising from the day she was diagnosed with sickness in 2015, she found herself not “angry at having cancer” but on how the first oncologist she consulted, condescendingly spoke, citing her nationality, “that no insurance company would shoulder my expenses because cancer is so expensive and that I better go back home and spend my remaining days in the Philippines.”

That depressing experience and built-in resilience since childhood let Mendoza search for another oncologist who has helped her overcome. It is linked to the “How to Handle Depression” session by Reiki practitioner/Theta Healing instructor Ayen Barrientos and the “Relevance of Yoga to Our Body and Soul” by Diya Kaushal.

Mendoza pointed out that aside from prayers and meditation, yoga also helped her through.

On the Gulf Today question regarding self-prioritisation as greediness, Barrientos cited rising cases of resentment ending in depression she has seen, observed and recorded in her books: “There is nothing wrong when we prioritise ourselves.”

Guevarra’s pre-surgery tips, aside from healthy eating (also tackled by Las Damas-DNE founding member Marybeth Dumilag) and positive and gratefulness thinking: Stop smoking and practise diaphragm breathing because weakened lung functions means decreased bone healing; observe hand hygiene to avoid infections and so as not to spread infections; wear mask and avoid crowd that may attract ailments which delays the operation.

Guevarra pointed at six arms-shoulders-back exercises which must be repeated until three months of the recovery stage but with  weights for increased mobility and shoulders/arms/chest strengthening.     

Meanwhile, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International, a global network of cancer charities dedicated to the prevention and control of cancer by means of healthy food and nutrition, physical activity and weight management, 2,296,840 new cases of breast cancer among women and men all over the world were diagnosed in 2022. The top five countries with the highest prevalence rate at 100,000 per population were China (357,161), USA (274,375), India (192,000), Brazil (94,728), and Japan (91,916). Breast cancer deaths at 100,000 per population were highest in India (98,337), China (74,986), USA (42,900), Indonesia which ranked eighth in the most prevalent category at 66,271 (22,598), and Brazil (22,189).