Women in Muntinlupa get free breast cancer tests
MANILA, Philippines—To commemorate the National Breast Cancer Awareness this October, women from Muntinlupa City and its nine villages were given free breast cancer screenings and lectures following the launch of “Ating Dibdibin” program.
A Memorandum of Agreement signed between the city government of Muntinlupa and ICANSERVE Foundation Inc provides a “provision of free or subsidized mammography and ultrasounds” for residents of Muntinlupa diagnosed with breast cancer or with suspicious lumps.
The agreement also provides for the holding of community assemblies for “breast cancer screening, breast cancer lectures, and showing of breast cancer self exam tutorial videos.”
It likewise paves the way for the training of doctors, nurses, midwives and barangay health workers of Muntinlupa City on early breast cancer detection technique; and initiation of a ” Breast Cancer Trust Fund” for residents, who will need subsidy or full support for diagnostics and treatments related to breast cancer by way of executive issuances and agreements with hospitals in the city.
Before the signing of the agreement, “Ating Dibdibin” program was also launched which aims to provide basic health services to all the barangay of Muntinlupa through its breast cancer community assemblies.
Trina Reyes Biazon, chairperson and program director of Muntinlupa’s Gender and Development Office, announced during the launching the continuous training of Muntinlupa’s Barangay Health Workers to perform breast screening of more women in Muntinlupa City.
For his part, Muntinlupa City Mayor Jimmy R. Fresned, encouraged both the men and women of Muntinlupa to avail of the free breast screening.
Two breast cancer survivors – ICanServe Foundation’s chairman of the Board Libet Virata and ICanServe Foundation patient volunteer Veck Arjona, also gave their messages of hope, saying that “early detection could save lives.”
Dra. Cecille Montales, an ICanServe 7-year breast cancer survivor, lectured about self breast examination and screening followed by actual breast examination screening for all women of the Municipal Hall and various barangay.
