The Capernaum at SPMC
Ella also shared that now that she is undergoing radiotherapy for 28 consecutive days, except on weekends and holidays, she is renting a room near the SPMC so that she will not be burdened with the transportation cost.
Meanwhile, Melba (did not disclose her real name), also a breast cancer patient from Digos City, Davao del Sur, who, like Ella, is undergoing radiotherapy at the SPMC, said that the health care institute in Davao City also offers a free shelter for cancer patients.
"Nice man sila diri ma'am kay kung taga-layo ka, offeran man ka'g board and lodging diha sa ilang Capernaum. Para lang gyud wala kay rason nga maka-miss ka sa imong therapy (It's nice here because if you are coming from afar, you would be offered a free board and lodging at their Capernaum, just to make sure you won't miss your therapy)," Melba, 54, says.
SPMC's Capernaum is a care facility located inside the hospital compound.
Melba shared that almost all of the things needed for cancer medication have been extended for cancer patients so that they would have nothing to worry much anymore.
Government programs for cancer patients
According to data provided by the SPMC Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology Section, there were 404 breast cancer patients logged by the healthcare institute in 2022. The majority of them (72 percent) were not enrolled in any health insurance, like Philhealth, or the CSPMAP when they arrived at the SPMC just like Ella and Melba.
Dr. Kenny Jun Demegillo, Training Officer, Section of Medical Oncology at SPMC, shared that there are multiple sources of medical aid for cancer patients.
"That's the role of the Cancer Institute's Fund provided by the government itself. It's a broad program not only for breast cancer (patients) but for other cancers as well. We also have Lingap, DSWD, Office of Vice President, but these offices have different requirements," Demegillo during an interview with the writer.
SPMC’S challenges
However, he shared that although cancer patients at SPMC can approach several offices for medical aid, the healthcare institution faces challenges in accepting and treating all its cancer patients.
"Cancer patients have to endure a long queue for surgery and chemotherapy scheduling," he said.
This is because SPMC, big as it is, still lacks some equipment like the CT scan and MRI.
"We don't have CT-Scan and MRI solely for our Adult Cancer Unit. That means our cancer patients have to wait until these are available for them as some of the patients in other departments also need to use CT scan or MRI too," Demegillo said.
In Melba's case, she narrated that she had to cough up around P20,000 for the CT scan outside SPMC.
"Gi-advaysan ko nga sa gawas nalang daw ko magpa-CT scan kay taas pa kaayo ang linya, unya Stage 3 naman ko, kinahanglan dili nako dugayon ang pagpa-CT scan. Unya kung maghulat pako kung kanus-a ma-available ang CT scan diri (SPMC), basin daw mag-progress na ang cancer (I was advised to have a CT Scan outside since several patients are still lining up at SPMC's CT Scan and that if I would wait for the CT scan at SPMC to be available for me, my cancer might have progressed already)," Melba shared.
She said she could have lined up at concerned government and politicians' offices for assistance but opted not to because "kaya pa man namo (we can still pay for it)."
State of breast cancer patients in other areas in PH
The experience of cancer patients here in the Davao Region also mirrors the same in other parts of the country.
In Manila for example, Dr. Josephine Contreras-Tolentino, Medical Oncologist (Section Head) at The Medical City, relayed during the fourth SwissCham Roundtable Series entitled Inspiring Conversations on Breast Cancer in the Philippines on August 31, 2023 an experience of her patient in getting medical treatment for her breast cancer.
Dr. Contreras-Tolentino narrated that her patient Maria, not her real name, had gone through almost the same process.
When Maria was diagnosed with cancer, even with HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) insurance, she still sought financial assistance from government agencies, like the PCSO, DSWD, public officials, and the DOH since her HMO insurance only covers one session of chemotherapy.
Maria encountered several problems seeking financial assistance from these offices. In PCSO for example, she had to get quotations from three different centers to get a subsidy of P10,000. While in DSWD, there were a lot of forms for her to fill out and documents that needed to be accomplished. In Malasakit centers, however, she was advised that she could only get free medicines if she continued treatment at a public hospital.
Transferring to a government hospital posed more challenges for Maria, because public hospitals are far from her residence, and traveling alone can make her wearier and weaker.
She also found it difficult to transfer to any healthcare facility because her medical records were already at The Medical City, aside from the confidence in the team at The Medical City dealing with her case.
Local support group
According to Dr. Alfonso G. Nuñez III, Interim Executive Director of the Philippine Cancer Center, there are a lot of government financing support programs for cancer patients aimed at assisting individuals and families affected by cancer.
"Recognizing the significant financial burden associated with cancer care, the Philippine government has implemented measures to ensure that cancer patients have access to affordable and quality medical services," Dr. Nuñez said during the fifth SwissCham Roundtable Series entitled Inspiring Conversations on Breast Cancer in the Philippines on August 31, 2023.
"From the DOH-Cancer Control Program, the Cancer, Supportive Care, and Palliative Care Medicines Access Program (CSPMAP) and the Cancer Assistance Fund or the CAF, these were institutionalized. PhilHealth provides coverage for a variety of cancer-related treatments including surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other medically necessary interventions," he added.
This is also reiterated by Ella, saying: "Daghan man ka'g kadaganan, mag tiyaga lang lagi (You have a lot of offices to get assistance from, you just need to persevere)," she said.
Meanwhile, Cherrylin Casuga, the current president of Amuma Davao, a local support group for cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers, confirmed that indeed they have been receiving messages from cancer patients seeking medical assistance.
"Mostly those who message us for financial assistance are those who are not members of Amuma Davao. And honestly, we can only give them so much. But what we often do is connect them to the ‘right persons’ who can help them with their treatments or give them priority when queueing up at offices for financial help," Casuga said.
There is hope for the Big C patients
However, even with the challenging processes of seeking medical help, both Ella and Melba agree that cancer patients have hope.
"Mas maayo gyud nang magpa-check up dayon mo kung naa moy hinala nga naay something sa inyong totoy. Kabalo ko daghan kaayo ang mga kalisdaan nga maagian, pero ayaw lang sige'g huna-huna og negative (It's better if you have your self checked immediately if you suspect that there is something in your breast. I know there will be many challenges you will face, but don't dwell on negative thoughts)," Ella said.
Melba reiterated that it's better for any woman to seek doctor's advice while it is still too early than regret it in the end.
Meanwhile, Novartis, a global healthcare company based in Switzerland providing solutions to address the evolving needs of patients worldwide, couldn't say it much better when it stated that "breast cancer is no longer a death sentence, and breast cancer survivorship has come a long way in recent years. There are already innovative treatments offering women a greater chance than ever before to live healthy, fulfilling lives following their diagnosis, which have not only improved survival rates, but also led to an increased focus on quality of life for breast cancer survivors."
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Editor's note: This story is published with the support of the Philippine Press Institute, Philippine Cancer Society, ICanServe Foundation and Novartis in collaboration with the Swiss Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Association of the Philippines.
