Cancer Awareness Fora for BHWs

Nov 25, 2009. Cancer awareness fora for barangay health workers were held on November 23 and 24 in Tagum City and Davao City, respectively, in coordination with both cities’ City Health Office. The fora were held to empower barangay health workers (BHWs) on signs and symptoms of cancer in children. Being front-liners in community health service, BHWs could help in the early detection of cancer by immediately referring suspected cases to specialists.

Dr. Mae Concepcion Dolendo, a pediatric oncologist at the Davao Medical Center gave the lecture in Tagum City. Dr. Jeannie Bernardo-Ong, a pediatrician-hematologict-oncologist at the San Pedro Hospital gave the lecture in Davao City. Both lectures elicited questions from some 50 BHWs who attended in Tagum and 121 in Davao City. All in all, there were 81 who attended in Tagum City and 162 in Davao City.

Cancer Warriors Foundation founder, James Auste, also spoke in both fora, giving a brief background on the foundation and what it does to help indigent cancer patients. Some of the kids being assisted by the foundation were present in the Davao City forum.

In Tagum City, Anthony del Rosario, the Provincial Sports Coordinator and the Governor’s Executive Assistant, also spoke and shared his experience while being treated with lymphoma early this year. He emphasized that cancer is curable.

Jonathan Bayogan, a professor at the University of Southeastern Philippines, who organized and coordinated the fora for Cancer Warriors, also did a presentation on his experience in caring for a child with leukemia.