Skip to main content

Breast cancer group launches MAMMOvan in Laoag City

WOMEN CARE IN LC. The officers and trustees of the Breast Cancer Imperative (BRCAI) Inc. headed by its president, Delia C. Baquiran in cooperation with the Timoteo and Luisa Cachola Fund launch the Philippine's 1st Mammovan held at Laoag City. The project was inaugurated by Laoag mayor Chevylle v. Fariñas and Health Assistant Secretary Gerardo V. Bayugo. (Doms dela Cruz)

Laoag CITY—The Breast Cancer Imperative, Inc. (BRCAI), a non-profit corporation, celebrated the launching and blessing of the MAMMOvan—a Philippine first—in Laoag City.

The MAMMOvan—the first of its kind in Southeast Asia—is a mammography unit on wheels which will offer free screening mammography services to underserved women in Northern Luzon and subsidized screenings to  those who can afford them.

“Costs and access are the two main barriers for a very low mammography adoption in the Philippines,” states breast cancer survivor and BRCAI president and founder, Delia C. Baquiran. “I consider myself the poster child of early detection. I believe that early detection equals prevention,” she added.

Diagnosed at age 52 with early stage disease, she has used her experiences as a patient and an oncology nurse to help demystify the stigma of breast cancer for other women.

The MAMMOvan completes the Early Detection and Screening for Breast Cancer platform of BRCAI. Other components of the program include advocacy outreach to communities teaching them breast health and cancer awareness, risk assessment and lifestyle interventions.

An important piece of the training program is the breast self-exam demonstration and return demonstration so participants can use this model in their everyday life.  

“We engage barangay health workers in our outreach activities because they play a pivotal role in the health structure of the community. For our services to have impact, community engagement is essential,” emphasized Ms. Baquiran, adding: “It is my hope that mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends will live to watch their children grow up like I did through these early imperatives.”

The launching and blessing event was attended by community leaders, health care providers, local government officials, and citizens, led by the first female mayor of Laoag City, Ms. Chevylle Fariñas and Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Gerardo Bayugo.

“We should have more MAMMOvans. The Philippines has the highest mortality rate and lowest survival rate in Asia,” Dr. Bayugo noted.

The MAMMOvan went on its maiden trip to Sto. Domingo, in Ilocos Sur, a few days after its launch.

“In a matter of hours, we screened 13 women which is more than the monthly average number that a hospital with a mammography equipment screens,” remarked Dr. Laennec C. Baquiran, vice president and chief medical officer of BRCAI.

Multiple requests from various municipalities and sponsoring organizations for the MAMMOvan and the EDSP are coming in.

The Breast Cancer Imperative, Inc. (BRCAI) is a non-profit and non-stock corporation registered with the Philippines Securities Exchange Commission. Our mission is to empower and engage communities in the early detection and screening imperatives for breast cancer. Our impact will result in healthy communities towards a wealthy Philippines.


It is a volunteer organization and count on strategic partners such as the Timoteo and Luisa Cachola Fund, Toyota Motors Philippines Foundation, the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care, Inc., the Philippine College of Surgeons - Northern Luzon Chapter, and kind donors to pursue our mission.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

PIDS expert says income tax cuts justified; warns gov’t of revenue loss

Proposals to amend the personal income tax schedule appear to be well-justified. However, these proposals should include measures that will allow government to recover the revenue loss from lower income taxes. Dr. Rosario Manasan, senior research fellow of state think-tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), said at a seminar sponsored by the Philippine Senate, that government should look for new revenue measures to compensate for the projected revenue loss that will arise as a result of the implementation of any of the various proposals to restructure the personal income tax. Currently, there are several income tax reform proposals pending in both houses of Congress. All of them, according to Dr. Manasan, have the same objective of addressing the phenomenon of bracket creep, which results from “non-indexation to inflation of personal income tax brackets”. Simply put, bracket creep occurs when employees’ income increases over time as a result of inflation. Th

PGIN honors Ilocano heroes of past, present through Heroes Walk

SPO1 Allan Lampitoc Franco of Banna, Ilocos Norte and PO2 Jovalyn D. Lozano of Adams, Ilocos Norte receive a resolution of commendation, a certificate of college scholarship grant to their family members and a P20,000 cash incentive each from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Imee R. Marcos and Vice Governor Angelo M. Barba in recognition of their bravery and heroic acts in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao on January 25. Mr. Franco and Mr. Lozano were recognized on March 10 in time for the unveiling of the second batch of Ilocano heroes at the Heroes Walk located along the Sirib Mile in Laoag City.  (Lei Adriano) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO In honor of the heroes who brought freedom, fame and glory to the province as well as to the country in the past century, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through the Education Department and Sirib Youth Office launched the second batch of Ilocano Heroes Walk on March 10, 2015.