Editorial: Health, a shared responsibility

NO PARENT wants to shorten their children's precious time here on earth. In fact, most of them would rather give several years of their lives to their children if it is the only way to lengthen their sickly child's life.

But having a child with lingering illness such as cancer can drain not just the family's finances but also time and energy.

These are only some of the reasons the parents of cancer-stricken children choose the painful option of discontinuing with their children's treatment.

Other equally significant reasons are the dilemma on who would take care of the other siblings and the family, their employment which is the family's only source of livelihood, the distance between the health care facility and their home, etc.

These are some of the factors why there are cancer patients who were not able to finish their treatment. This goes to show that it is not a question of what is more important, the life of their cancer-stricken child or the other factors that hinder them to finish their child's treatment? But rather it is a question of who will help them along the way.

Founder and program director of House of Hope Foundation, the only halfway house for children with cancer and their caregivers in Mindanao, Dr. Mae Dolendo urges the parents to have their kids be treated for their illness as it is their responsibility to their child, as reported in SunStar Davao on Friday.

In fact, it is clearly stated in the United Nations Children's Fund that among the rights of the children are to have an adequate care -- "parents, organizations, and state parties should always have the best interests of the child as a primary consideration"; and health services -- "the child has a right to the highest standard of health and medical care attainable."

It is good to note that Datu Bago awardee Dr. Dolendo initiated in establishing a transient home for children with cancer and their parents.

In another SunStar Davao report, the House of Hope has given care and shelter for the children and their caregivers since 2007.

The House of Hope, albeit, should not be considered as the be-all-end-all of all cancer patient and their caregivers, as it is already a big help to unload a part of their burden, especially for those who have limited finances and for those who are living very far from a health facility.

As what Dr. Dolendo underscored in the same SunStar report on Friday, "May mga patients talaga kami na coming from the poorest family in the remotest area sa bansa nakakatapos din naman sila sa kanilang gamotan kasi conviction lang yun ng clients na itawid nila ang gamotan sa kanilang anak."

"Health is a shared responsibility. Di yan responsibility ng hospital, right yan nang bata na mapagamot siya," Dolendo added.

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