PARENTS, according to a doctor, are responsible for their children’s health including bringing them to a physician for check-up.
House of Hope Foundation for Kids with Cancer Founder and Program Director Dr. Mae Concepcion Dolendo said, “Parents, it is your responsibility to have your child checked by a doctor, as well as it is the right of every child to be treated for his illness.” She addressed parents who are not inclined to bring their children to a clinic for a check-up despite seeing that they are not feeling well.
During an interview on the sidelines of the turnover ceremony of the cash donation by the JTC Group of Companies and Security Bank to the foundation on Wednesday, February 5, at the House of Hope lobby, Dolendo said since a pediatric cancer patient has 80 percent chance of survival, she feels very sorry for those children who have started their treatment but do not continue it because of the parent’s unwillingness to fulfill their responsibility in their child’s treatment.
“Ang role namin as a foundation is talagang mabigyan namin ng opportunity regardless saan nanggaling ang bata, Lumad ba siya or may pera ba sila o wala, to be able to access appropriate care,” she said.
(Our role as a foundation is to give an opportunity regardless of whether the child is a Lumad or if they have money or not, to be able to access appropriate care.)
She added although the Southern Philippines Medical Center, as a government hospital, has many clients to attend to, its doctors try to provide all the needs of every patient.
She said as much as they wanted to help in reaching out to every patient who discontinues their treatment but their lack of manpower hinders them to do so.
“Mamroblema na man gani mi sa hospital, biyaaan pa jud namo among pasyente. So the most we can do is public information. Ikaw ang parent, responsibility na nimo nga dad-on nimo ang pasyente sa hospital, dili na na role sa doctor nga adtoan pa mo sa inyong mga balay-balay kung naa bay sakit imong anak (We already have a lot of patients to attend to in the hospital and we cannot leave them just to go to every house and ask every parent whether their child is sick, it is not part of the role of a doctor to do that),” she said.
Dolendo said that every child has a right for a necessary treatment particularly for cancer, thus, she urged the parents to bring their patients to the hospital, adding that what they do is information and education campaign about early child cancer detection through attending press conferences and putting up of posters of early signs and symptoms of cancer in every health center.
“Hindi namin alam kung papaano kayo (referring to the parents of children who have cancer) tutulungan kung hindi kayo pupunta especially that very limited din ang resources namin, tulad nito na dalawa lang kami oncologist sa Davao City, apat sa whole Mindanao,” she said.
Thus, she encouraged the parents to bring their children to the hospital once they notice early signs and symptoms of cancer as, she said, the House of Hope and the government have so many ways in helping the patients.
“May mga patients talaga kami na coming from the poorest family in the remotest area sa bansa nakakakatapos din naman sila sa kanilang gamotan kasi conviction lang yun ng clients na itawid nila ang gamotan sa kanilang anak,” she said.
Dolendo added that although admittedly the foundation alone cannot provide all for the treatment of a cancer patient but she is thankful as well that the private sector is there to help them so that every child is given a chance to complete his treatment.
“Health is a shared responsibility, di yan responsibility ng hospital, right yan nang bata na mapagamot siya,” she said.