tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29515035645364152802024-03-04T23:07:43.003-08:00End Breast CancerFounded by Rosa Francia-Meneses in 1997, the PBCN continues to be the sole breast cancer advocacy in the Philippines with a patient's perspective. Only through the internet can the Philippine Breast Cancer Network do battle with the multi-billion dollar cancer industry which will never invest in the eradication of the known causes of this epidemic. There is little money to be made in prevention but so much to make in detection and treatment. Support the PBCN!danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-92195241304937535492023-09-23T00:58:00.001-07:002023-09-23T01:01:56.323-07:00 TO BATTLE BREAST CANCER WITH A ROSE<p><i><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;"><b>Today, the 23rd day of September 2023 marks 23 years since
Rosa was given her wings to fly. Before her death, the Canadian Breast
Cancer Network published in their Network News Vol.5 No.1 Fall 2000, the following
article which I have edited.</b></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;">“My story is the same as every woman with breast
cancer,” Rosa declared during the opening day plenary of the Second World
Conference on Breast Cancer in Ottawa in 1999.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;">Indeed, all women with breast cancer are similarly
challenged and have no choice but to accept their diagnosis. But in time, each
woman finds her rightful place in the battlefield of breast cancer where there
are a few chosen to fight for others. The swiftness of events in the life of a
woman with breast cancer can deliver her from the rapids of the unknown to the
rivers of immortality. She must raise her head and look far beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Had Rosa undergone a mastectomy years before the
First World Conference on Breast Cancer in Kingston, Ontario in 1997, or after
that historical event, the Philippine Breast Cancer Network (PBCN) would never
have been. But as destiny had it, Rosa lost her breast without her informed
consent on February 10th </span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">1997,</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;"> and was given a very poor survival prognosis just five months before – long enough to heal her blasted chest yet close enough to defer chemotherapy and radiation.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">I had worked a total of ten years for an American
pharmaceutical and American insurance company before engaging in organic
farming and environmental waste management nationwide when breast cancer
violated my family. I felt like I had been stabbed in my back but later
realized that because of my entire background, I was able to absorb and rapidly
internalize the intricacies surrounding the disease. I was thus tailored made
to wage battle alongside my wife.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;">Twenty-seven years ago, Rosa and I fought another
battle. It was during those fearful days of Martial Law when the dictator
Marcos unleashed his dogs of war where thousands of students, farmers and
workers lost their lives, that our future was sealed. Rosa and I met in the
underground movement and together went deeper into the arena of armed struggle.
We were always in constant danger of arrest, or at worst, summary execution
when caught.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">On several occasions, I witnessed the courage and
steadfastness of my amazon warrior: when she kept her presence of mind and
calmly lost military agents trailing her; when she bravely searched for me in
enemy territory when I failed to make contact; when she delivered our first born
in the guerrilla zone without medical attention; and when she confidently faced
an arresting team at the doorstep and bluffed her way from capture. We were
only </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">twenty-two</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> years old </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">then,</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> but we were able to survive those precarious
years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Two weeks before the violence of breast cancer, our </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">eight-year-old</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> daughter became the victim of a severe drug overdose from a
pediatrician’s prescription. I was raising hell with the Philippine Medical
Association and the Philippine College of Pediatrics when Rosa’s nightmare
became priority. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;">Then during Rosa’s confinement, while on the way
home from the hospital, our Volkswagen Beetle was hit from behind by a
ten-wheeler truck. Had it not been a beetle where the engine was at the back, I
couldn’t imagine what would have happened to all our four children on board. At
that point in time, I was already asking whether my entire family was to be
wiped out right in front of me. Miraculously, only minor injuries were
sustained.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;">Our youngest child had just turned two, so when
Rosa was given not more than two years to survive, she could not accept the
prognosis. She had to fight back. She would simply not allow herself to become
another number in medical records or a clinical statistic. We had together
stared more than once at the face of death in our youth and we were once again
being called to engage in another serious battle. It was our total ignorance on
the matter that scared us, and worse, there was no one to gather immediate
information from – except the doctors. Our gut sense told us they were not a
reliable source and we had to truly know the enemy ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq99POlYYxt2kbL7Bs8A1Y1ARAeIte5hWqBdR_c8MycAYiGVRb-_LvuLxUHsBRN1CuhlkCuUK67AxOw_5nLuYWyfweW24FQC-hqT8UPKWawiAfpFxiPQV2M8b48U03Pf3eG4YYrZ84zBYD3BvKkMQRzgkgviWdz-EVJOuOxB3_986dIKrKrQyDvJs-u4M/s2040/1997%20Aug%2028.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2040" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq99POlYYxt2kbL7Bs8A1Y1ARAeIte5hWqBdR_c8MycAYiGVRb-_LvuLxUHsBRN1CuhlkCuUK67AxOw_5nLuYWyfweW24FQC-hqT8UPKWawiAfpFxiPQV2M8b48U03Pf3eG4YYrZ84zBYD3BvKkMQRzgkgviWdz-EVJOuOxB3_986dIKrKrQyDvJs-u4M/w400-h289/1997%20Aug%2028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 13pt;">And so it was that Rosa, in search of answers,
traveled far and away to Kingston, Ontario all by herself to become the lone
Philippine delegate in that historical 1997 World Conference of Breast Cancer.
Empowered and energized, Rosa lost no time in setting up the Philippine Breast
Cancer Network immediately upon her return home on 28 August 1997.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">A year later, Rosa convened the first ever
Philippine Conference on Breast Cancer which saw the attendance of Andrea
Martin and Kimiko Goldberg and numerous breast cancer victims. Another year
later in 1999, Rosa was selected as a plenary speaker at the Brussels World
Conference on Breast Cancer Advocacy. A few months later, she was invited to be
an opening day plenary speaker at the Ottawa World Conference on Breast Cancer.
Her story by now, had become known to the entire world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_bv0bskA9rI8dKNDqfo5YakgeEIaASST4ZABck40mFaVI7JaJFPmGQCmETFbuPUklR5tYwYa0GAk8bzFjh8UGmmtxR-5ByBkEQvJFD_r9Y0ofMuHi2BK9mKFLOXz1dkGQIWEEwstNkwWe8EWh5gte63LFZMRFwN3ZNaVDNXCtNdoTZsRofhn06q3Uwo/s1091/473174_475111859180563_1424005842_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1091" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_bv0bskA9rI8dKNDqfo5YakgeEIaASST4ZABck40mFaVI7JaJFPmGQCmETFbuPUklR5tYwYa0GAk8bzFjh8UGmmtxR-5ByBkEQvJFD_r9Y0ofMuHi2BK9mKFLOXz1dkGQIWEEwstNkwWe8EWh5gte63LFZMRFwN3ZNaVDNXCtNdoTZsRofhn06q3Uwo/w400-h321/473174_475111859180563_1424005842_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-size: large;">Barely two months upon returning, Rosa convened the
2nd Philippine Conference on Breast Cancer. By this time, the ranks of the PBCN
had ballooned to more than 400 nationwide. Several symposiums, lectures and
activities on breast cancer and the environment were held. The PBCN’s newsletter
was periodically circulated and became a very reliable and truthful source for
public information. So many patients called, written and visited our
home-turned-breast cancer </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-size: large;">center</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-size: large;">, seeking information and treatment. Between
Rosa and I were also numerous interviews on national television, radio,
newspapers and magazines. The landscape of breast cancer had drastically
changed in the Philippines, that the Department of Health, the medical
profession and the pharmaceutical industry can no longer ignore the challenge
from the</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-size: large;">PBCN.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviRqekWKd1Xn95OpLKG3OKtZFKCKKLqkAOfvHSwLcVjTMrBa_h8e5ist7r8oJW-ToVGDBWYsWoTMMx1fwEgEuSMU9An8v7-3syjnfNXy9q29xsuGnNAG_Ev5PbTSsAw-wlBs7bqRB9JKgQfZ7bugqqnjCC8i3v2XAsTIz8Ci7A1B8hbF1WhT6-5lK5IE/s490/1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="490" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviRqekWKd1Xn95OpLKG3OKtZFKCKKLqkAOfvHSwLcVjTMrBa_h8e5ist7r8oJW-ToVGDBWYsWoTMMx1fwEgEuSMU9An8v7-3syjnfNXy9q29xsuGnNAG_Ev5PbTSsAw-wlBs7bqRB9JKgQfZ7bugqqnjCC8i3v2XAsTIz8Ci7A1B8hbF1WhT6-5lK5IE/w400-h268/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Rosa believed strongly in the dignity and </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">honor</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> of
women, especially those faced with breast cancer. From the very start, Rosa
planned for the PBCN to be of the highest esteem, so that breast cancer victims
would be proud to be part of the PBCN. In so doing, the PBCN has been very
selective in raising funds, never asking money from polluting and </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">cancer-causing</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> companies, and never having women with breast cancer beg for their
lives!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;">In her fourth year of battle, Rosa continued with
non-toxic and non-invasive regimens, refusing several offers of chemo and
radiation from doctors, hospitals and pharmaceuticals. Her last crisis though
had become the most serious. Her lungs had been invaded by cancer and she
needed to undergo pleurodesis in preparation for her next challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvsh4ejZEzmC5fOeh8fUMzQGAvvrS93C_MUfhwqc18470mj_pNZbE71Pjg8iXvshhPEMgbIZpyOXF6eRyl1f3WDVNnY8eFiqXkWR3TrMoVhO2lpxU8-AztReSCi5C1EAif2E0EWd5dmCmMuObr1B2SEsIN7tXCvdCTzPJRMqeX7J_PzZa61qoV6lkdZ0/s689/2023-08-29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="689" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvsh4ejZEzmC5fOeh8fUMzQGAvvrS93C_MUfhwqc18470mj_pNZbE71Pjg8iXvshhPEMgbIZpyOXF6eRyl1f3WDVNnY8eFiqXkWR3TrMoVhO2lpxU8-AztReSCi5C1EAif2E0EWd5dmCmMuObr1B2SEsIN7tXCvdCTzPJRMqeX7J_PzZa61qoV6lkdZ0/w400-h278/2023-08-29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;"><div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">A seriously wounded warrior, Rosa flew to Japan on
August 18th 2000, as the only Philippine climber in the “Climb against the Odds”
in Mt. Fuji. Although she could only manage reaching the 5th station, our only
son, Buhawi climbed the summit where he raised the Philippine flag along with
the hopes of all the women of the PBCN. The Japanese and American teams were
greatly moved and inspired by Rosa’s efforts despite her physical condition. No
one would dare say that she should not have gone at all, because what she did
embodied the spirit of the expedition – Climb against the Odds! </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">Because of this singular effort of Rosa, the PBCN Breast Haven would be realized through funds raised by a telethon of ABS-CBN in her </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">honor</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">.</span></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kCtHcUypYUeN_uwswyNo7ROV0O87XnX7ZIJGQEZ1C17GWGTONaGeGcYvJRyi1nwwdERFj-LdK8XbJiPSaF62wmsKfDyom8KOyJ7ES8qOSbWQOpnBWU5RpeomLybdsB1EsRdB3zJhnIIMQB1zliWPV6tvA4JGe2SgYymM1HAvh8BIFzFCV3IGDgZNUc0/s606/RFM%20on%20TV.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="606" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kCtHcUypYUeN_uwswyNo7ROV0O87XnX7ZIJGQEZ1C17GWGTONaGeGcYvJRyi1nwwdERFj-LdK8XbJiPSaF62wmsKfDyom8KOyJ7ES8qOSbWQOpnBWU5RpeomLybdsB1EsRdB3zJhnIIMQB1zliWPV6tvA4JGe2SgYymM1HAvh8BIFzFCV3IGDgZNUc0/w400-h385/RFM%20on%20TV.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;">Rosa’s body was now being completely surrounded by
enemy cancer cells. She was already experiencing battle </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">fatigue,</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt;"> but she would
not raise the white flag. Even going to the toilet, she would inch her way with
assistance. Rosa would not surrender as we hoped and prayed that a thunderstorm
would suddenly come and send all the enemy cancer cell scampering away.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH;">The irony of breast cancer is its own tragedy.
While thousands of lives will be lost at the onset of battle, even the most
gallant and fearless of breast cancer warriors will not be spared. Rosa was out
to engage the enemy and in battle, death is a common occurrence. Breast cancer
is a war without prisoners. However, when one’s life is offered for the greater
good, then death is just another journey and not an end. It is the tragedy of
death that will usher in life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Just one rose that could leave a man spell-bound,
just one scent can give passion to life. Just one rose whose beauty and </span><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">splendor</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">, the ugliness of breast cancer cannot hide. This is the legacy that
Rosa left behind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Rosa Francia Meneses – the rose to defeat breast cancer!</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfdrwt59W54bUlf6bYR1uCQ4S-MB8LkpEHE60fXuecLsj_2LiEXDafliw5RsF8TQivQbDEpweeyAXRPnDmGErq0IoLtqGJ5omCqrkHZxW2PvjDdSwYv927tKCPYPaXxJ3XWqeyVBy-PD4-9qaFN19t8AAQYWtjFsfMsBkqAvYKcnvf9rKqO3LiR3r5oc/s640/ROSA%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="640" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfdrwt59W54bUlf6bYR1uCQ4S-MB8LkpEHE60fXuecLsj_2LiEXDafliw5RsF8TQivQbDEpweeyAXRPnDmGErq0IoLtqGJ5omCqrkHZxW2PvjDdSwYv927tKCPYPaXxJ3XWqeyVBy-PD4-9qaFN19t8AAQYWtjFsfMsBkqAvYKcnvf9rKqO3LiR3r5oc/w400-h276/ROSA%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-78432294904870101322018-08-27T21:10:00.000-07:002018-08-28T19:22:02.273-07:0021st Anniversary Statement of the PBCN<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcS4U6mCGbE40dfVG3YFYoHaBwazbY-T1qUIiQl0InqEzDTzeA2ICz-Gsg_SbdqTG0uCpcZ4QiEylDMoWSLwXe18p1_Rzt7QHvWG3IAfqXURGdZ_Ytm__3eQU4GB_2OtEZCU59FuaC6-k/s1600/37798950_1852285114794777_2096175753933619200_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="674" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcS4U6mCGbE40dfVG3YFYoHaBwazbY-T1qUIiQl0InqEzDTzeA2ICz-Gsg_SbdqTG0uCpcZ4QiEylDMoWSLwXe18p1_Rzt7QHvWG3IAfqXURGdZ_Ytm__3eQU4GB_2OtEZCU59FuaC6-k/s400/37798950_1852285114794777_2096175753933619200_n.jpg" width="180" /></a><o:p> </o:p>On July 20th this year was formalized the Cancer Coalition
Philippines at UNILAB’s Bayanihan Hall in Mandaluyong City. Composed of the
Philippine Cancer Society, I Can Serve Foundation, Cancer Warriors Foundation,
Philippine Society of Oncologists, Project Brave Kids, Carewell Community
Foundation and the Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Association of the Philippines,
it aims to be the driving force in inspiring breakthroughs, catalyzing adoption
of innovations and good practice models for safe, quality, accessible,
affordable cancer care, better health outcomes and better futures for cancer
patients, the survivors and their families. </div>
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According to this coalition, “Cancer is a growing and
serious public health concern. It is inextricably linked with the achievement
of the country’s poverty reduction and development goals.” <b>However, the real
truth is that this coalition is the consolidation of the medical-pharmaceutical
cancer industry, meant to further increase their market share in the
growing lucrative epidemic of cancer in the country. </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Cancer has no known cure in the entire world, for if it were
so we would not have a problem at all. Despite advances in conventional and
non-conventional treatments, patient mortality has not declined. The Philippines has the lowest survival of breast cancer while
having the highest incidence rate of the disease among Asian Countries. In fact
in the entire world, the Philippines has the 10th highest incidence of breast
cancer where one out of 13 women will get the disease in her lifetime.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The Coalition gives emphasis on the financial burden of cancer yet hospital
bills, professional fees and chemo drugs run up to the hundreds of thousands.
Given the ever increasing incidence rate of breast cancer, not to mention the
numerous cases of over diagnosis and over treatment, cancer treatment is
figuratively a cash register! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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Yes, the Philippine health system is in a very terrible mess and
this Coalition together with PhilHealth and the Dept. of Health will even
further aggravate public health with palliative legislative bills such as
the Cancer Control Act being lobbied by the Coalition with the support of
grossly uninformed Senators. Months away is the elections - <b>DO NOT VOTE for Senators who support this coalition.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqkuTNMSey8bvQmAkjwMoVWRC_wWfv9ZTsjYSq_bNCJNNNuW6KzD7v_51IjbnTjJ3bVaL0iNgsiR5otuCplyTpBqPTAJO-4nAzwaHpibevXRR93d4-rTd9VRayKHqYdmcnBx51u12hi0/s1600/cancer+industry+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="655" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqkuTNMSey8bvQmAkjwMoVWRC_wWfv9ZTsjYSq_bNCJNNNuW6KzD7v_51IjbnTjJ3bVaL0iNgsiR5otuCplyTpBqPTAJO-4nAzwaHpibevXRR93d4-rTd9VRayKHqYdmcnBx51u12hi0/s640/cancer+industry+FB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Coalition wishes to increase investments for the
prevention, early detection and optimal treatment of cancer. Let us then limit to breast cancer discussing their wishes in addressing a public health epidemic of more than two decades ago. (Hello? Where have you guys been?)<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>PREVENTION</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRTFeuL9zr7Vr9rZTtfpTei8CZMzlSwFlPR9Xbl1DZX0zu5K4mBgjxhwI4qHHtS4GiUmzoUwEFh5rq-U6NArmV0Jp0qwjQxYBaLCyInCG9d60OrLsYTE_M315NMvleTIZAFGXNdFHQtM/s1600/Round+Up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="783" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRTFeuL9zr7Vr9rZTtfpTei8CZMzlSwFlPR9Xbl1DZX0zu5K4mBgjxhwI4qHHtS4GiUmzoUwEFh5rq-U6NArmV0Jp0qwjQxYBaLCyInCG9d60OrLsYTE_M315NMvleTIZAFGXNdFHQtM/s320/Round+Up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Countless studies and evidences have connected environmental
toxins and carcinogens to breast cancer. Mercury from mining, lead from
cosmetics, chlorine from laundry detergents, dioxin from food and so many
others that have been identified by the UN’s International Agency for Research
on Cancer. Just recently, Monsanto’s popular weed killer was found to be
cancer-causing in a multi-million dollar landmark court decision in the United States.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Only by eliminating identified environmental causes of
breast cancer in the country can we prevent women from getting the disease. But
then, there is no money to be made with prevention, specifically a decline of
breast cancer incidence.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><b><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>EARLY DETECTION</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WMCsH6cWMKmGKKcFmzdX6ZNqPUEqSr9Gd1T3nW_Pyx22MSurLjS0FbPXJfRh7V0EvPJgUyoKSZIEknKLsja9nxJOKrjzcRrTmzECdTZFGU3TPE8Jk0sw7FsC2TjLIwexuf_3Zol3ZH4/s1600/cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WMCsH6cWMKmGKKcFmzdX6ZNqPUEqSr9Gd1T3nW_Pyx22MSurLjS0FbPXJfRh7V0EvPJgUyoKSZIEknKLsja9nxJOKrjzcRrTmzECdTZFGU3TPE8Jk0sw7FsC2TjLIwexuf_3Zol3ZH4/s320/cartoon.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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It takes 5-10 years before the first symptoms of breast
cancer are manifested. This is one factor why mammography is not reliable,
given its 20%-40% margin of error for false positive and false negative.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Numerous studies published in prominent medical journals
such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the British Medical Journal
have raised serious questions about the value of screening mammography. They
clarify that the benefit of mortality reduction is most probably smaller, and
that over diagnosis is most probably higher, than has previously reported. Mammography
reduces false reassurance and opens the door to misdiagnosis and over
treatment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Although no one can say with certainty which patient is over
diagnosed, there is certainty about what happens to the patient: surgery, chemo
and radiation – even on certain tumors that were never life-threatening, such
as the commonly diagnosed DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ). In fact, whether a patient were found to be Triple Positive
or Triple Negative, chemo is given.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The PBCN has time and again registered its opposition to
several Senate Bills in the past which sought to institutionalize mammography
in the country. Despite the worldwide controversy on the limitations and
benefits of mammography, the Coalition wants to make it part of the government’s
budget in the guise of early detection for their self-interests. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>CANCER TREATMENT</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgVeYiwVcD1VGv010cOvyMdU9UT1XyvwHRno1-twZyqoQsVGdhQGkmsR0C2fvksDbuem41tzG4ZvSpKNzCMdZxZB7MtNS_DbuBp_MkiXjM9Wv99ASc2P45-eJN7bkvvJSfNfSPLGofr0/s1600/11081094_956976780993077_1206390353904942723_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="960" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgVeYiwVcD1VGv010cOvyMdU9UT1XyvwHRno1-twZyqoQsVGdhQGkmsR0C2fvksDbuem41tzG4ZvSpKNzCMdZxZB7MtNS_DbuBp_MkiXjM9Wv99ASc2P45-eJN7bkvvJSfNfSPLGofr0/s320/11081094_956976780993077_1206390353904942723_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Before anything else, a review and evaluation of two
particular government programs on breast cancer must first be done:<br />
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<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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The Department of Health’s Patient Navigation Program launched
in May 2011 to promote early breast cancer screening particularly among poor
women and providing assured access to chemotherapy; and<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The PhilHealth’s Z Benefit Package for breast cancer launched
in July 2012 by then President Noynoy Aquino to provide for the entire
treatment course for early breast cancer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Urging Congress to provide funds for another cancer
treatment without having duly assessed the above-mentioned programs clearly
transfers cancer treatment from the government to the private sector – which the
Coalition principally is. So why should additional public funds be used for a
private initiatives such as the Philippine College of Oncology and the
Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxL9JpFecGvfo5Wdze0OSNLNoTLOiw0hEUA6y9l3u_EE7pu5spf7yhhskRGYsfZyDa-L_PHY5dYSZp3r2xN30dZkGFAHgFE705ESkQfFiuB1eveJkAZFgg1NmU_RsnmRmoDkGTUyb3gM/s1600/PBCN+Poster+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1384" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxL9JpFecGvfo5Wdze0OSNLNoTLOiw0hEUA6y9l3u_EE7pu5spf7yhhskRGYsfZyDa-L_PHY5dYSZp3r2xN30dZkGFAHgFE705ESkQfFiuB1eveJkAZFgg1NmU_RsnmRmoDkGTUyb3gM/s320/PBCN+Poster+FB.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>As opposed to the Cancer Coalition of the Philippines, the
PBCN proposes the following strong actions which will immediately and
significantly lower the incidence of breast cancer at the minimal cost, if any at
all to the government:</b></i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
STOP mandatory annual cancer-causing chest x-rays for all
government employees and make it optional for pre-employment and pre-enrollment
purposes. This alone will drastically reduce breast cancer because all women
regardless of health status are being unnecessary exposed regularly to at least
1,000 millirads of cancer-causing radiation.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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STOP the use of cancer-causing contraceptives (pills,
injectable and implants) in its population control program because breast
cancer is a hormonal disease. Women will not be placed at risk of breast cancer
when the use of other methods such as condoms and rhythm method are encouraged instead.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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STOP operations of air-water-soil contaminating industries
regardless of environmental clearances - specially identified mining operations
that continue spill cyanide and mercury in the waterways of our country.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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STOP the use of triclosan and parabens in all productions of
various cosmetics and bath soaps/shampoos among other common consumer
products. A Safety Chemical Act needs to be legislated to keep our people
healthy and not be at risk of developing cancer from these identified
carcinogenic substances.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>"It is not for us to complete the task. But, we must begin it!" </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>- The Talmud</i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-4907263115952091712017-08-27T16:05:00.002-07:002017-08-27T16:23:37.638-07:0020 Solid Years of Fierce Breast Cancer Advocacy since 1997<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXNTjeARiGJY88UmooxodIvNq0ciD8y4LcLkMIegaLUMYaKOGFsr9IPVQ9jWCGO9x5cXStwy9soct5rVz_guOr6K-YieO9agbSVjCALN8V9yX3XcaJYQtjbuqXPT3uyR15KO7dyrEwZY/s1600/RFM+1+left+breast+gone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="913" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXNTjeARiGJY88UmooxodIvNq0ciD8y4LcLkMIegaLUMYaKOGFsr9IPVQ9jWCGO9x5cXStwy9soct5rVz_guOr6K-YieO9agbSVjCALN8V9yX3XcaJYQtjbuqXPT3uyR15KO7dyrEwZY/s320/RFM+1+left+breast+gone.jpg" width="320" /></a>Rosa Francia-Meneses had just attended the 1<sup>st</sup>
World Conference on Breast Cancer in Kingston, Ontario on July 1997. She was
the lone breast cancer patient from the Philippines in that historical
gathering to take strong action in eradicating the disease. Six months earlier,
she had lost her left breast without her consent. But instead of finding the
cure, she realized why all women were at risk of getting this incurable
disease.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbsIUmUJ-2TfF3zailk1j06wQUgcKI91wF5V5sfX-eBh7rBm481Ve_UkL_qD0F-_aVeNW6n0rCLEBE_suTWRlA_ho_LNOV2lR48qhIxWl6I3JKO6y9HG_djR73YT_ncQxDptdI0PsHF4/s1600/1997+PBCN+first+gathering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="287" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbsIUmUJ-2TfF3zailk1j06wQUgcKI91wF5V5sfX-eBh7rBm481Ve_UkL_qD0F-_aVeNW6n0rCLEBE_suTWRlA_ho_LNOV2lR48qhIxWl6I3JKO6y9HG_djR73YT_ncQxDptdI0PsHF4/s320/1997+PBCN+first+gathering.jpg" width="320" /></a>On her 45<sup>th</sup> birthday, Rosa without any
hesitation, boldly founded the Philippine Breast Cancer Network on August 28th 1997. It has now
been a full 20 years since then and the landscape of breast cancer in the
Philippines has radically changed. The
environmental causes of breast cancer has reached public awareness, the
falsehood of mammography has become known and natural means have now been opted
to by breast cancer victims.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AFWAKiyXxTgjwQV1KFRXFSX0OHE7JDU_WVRT_t_H15X6f41hVvenRLtIOdTbyqJHyQjlLtvZyCggYNhWvnCzNmgizzVP3K3zYf_2TbGnao-WteaTmuHm_nCzCUikyn1YU1vl74yRQW8/s1600/iPiccy-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="1600" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AFWAKiyXxTgjwQV1KFRXFSX0OHE7JDU_WVRT_t_H15X6f41hVvenRLtIOdTbyqJHyQjlLtvZyCggYNhWvnCzNmgizzVP3K3zYf_2TbGnao-WteaTmuHm_nCzCUikyn1YU1vl74yRQW8/s400/iPiccy-collage.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AFWAKiyXxTgjwQV1KFRXFSX0OHE7JDU_WVRT_t_H15X6f41hVvenRLtIOdTbyqJHyQjlLtvZyCggYNhWvnCzNmgizzVP3K3zYf_2TbGnao-WteaTmuHm_nCzCUikyn1YU1vl74yRQW8/s1600/iPiccy-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AFWAKiyXxTgjwQV1KFRXFSX0OHE7JDU_WVRT_t_H15X6f41hVvenRLtIOdTbyqJHyQjlLtvZyCggYNhWvnCzNmgizzVP3K3zYf_2TbGnao-WteaTmuHm_nCzCUikyn1YU1vl74yRQW8/s1600/iPiccy-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AFWAKiyXxTgjwQV1KFRXFSX0OHE7JDU_WVRT_t_H15X6f41hVvenRLtIOdTbyqJHyQjlLtvZyCggYNhWvnCzNmgizzVP3K3zYf_2TbGnao-WteaTmuHm_nCzCUikyn1YU1vl74yRQW8/s1600/iPiccy-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AFWAKiyXxTgjwQV1KFRXFSX0OHE7JDU_WVRT_t_H15X6f41hVvenRLtIOdTbyqJHyQjlLtvZyCggYNhWvnCzNmgizzVP3K3zYf_2TbGnao-WteaTmuHm_nCzCUikyn1YU1vl74yRQW8/s1600/iPiccy-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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<br />
From nationwide symposiums to live radio/TV interviews to
Senate public hearings, the PBCN has steadfastly pursued its high level of
patient advocacy as opposed to the pharmaceutical industry’s stranglehold on breast
cancer. With the advent of social media, the PBCN has been able to widely disseminate
valuable information, wilfully withheld by local media and government
authorities. The terrible silence of pain and suffering by countless victims of
this unacceptable public epidemic now has a very strong voice.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSf_8S02xqwTmMXx4TmI20DyeuSxTEVyjFW63xCpQJfqPCgSJa2Dy_sehkRih6fxYWmPcff7kIO-1wxpdRoEyuYOKtENtZ0m2K2C9AGb2CjE4rgCYOv914M5ta1Eudz5WSn4J2e78Fiw/s1600/MCF_7178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1384" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSf_8S02xqwTmMXx4TmI20DyeuSxTEVyjFW63xCpQJfqPCgSJa2Dy_sehkRih6fxYWmPcff7kIO-1wxpdRoEyuYOKtENtZ0m2K2C9AGb2CjE4rgCYOv914M5ta1Eudz5WSn4J2e78Fiw/s400/MCF_7178.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
In a country where the majority of women remain marginalized
in almost all aspects of modern life, one cannot imagine how many women and
families the PBCN has empowered in the span of 20 solid years. With numerous
testimonies from all over the Philippines and the entire world, the legacy of
Rosa Francia-Meneses lives on. Her story, her struggle, her climb – her stolen
breast, has touched untold numbers of lives the world over. And if not for breast cancer, Rosa would have been 65 years old today.</div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Freedom from Breast Cancer” </div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></i>
<i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">The PBCN takes this occassion to extend its heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to each and all who have unselfishly supported the PBCN in this most difficult journey.</span></b></i><br />
<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-13337690414902334612017-07-25T02:42:00.000-07:002017-07-25T05:19:30.772-07:00DU30 SONA 2017 and Breast Cancer<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: large;">The PBCN is greatly concerned about a highly
pressing issue between women’s rights to family planning and the prevention of breast cancer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">In the 2<sup>nd</sup>
SONA of President Duterte, he asked the Supreme Court to lift the TRO </span><span style="background: white;">on contraceptive implants
such as Implanon and Implanon NXT. </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Duterte said the purchase of the contraceptives was not a
“reckless purchase” for it was in preparation of the implementation of the RH law.
He further said the stocks would soon expire and to better donate them to a
nation who allows its use.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CY2fzAT7C9_Lt9Zs7YM7rqM8LXjT7p2JNvZNns5dslVvzPwzHVR-1ZmT2FU-G0RbDExqHbiIZYO8GSOHpz1vkU-Am3ZOlnbYUPBjX2Hniin3Fh2-Jn8IMQmglhs3mHVIc0vJwrhf2uM/s1600/Implanon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="685" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CY2fzAT7C9_Lt9Zs7YM7rqM8LXjT7p2JNvZNns5dslVvzPwzHVR-1ZmT2FU-G0RbDExqHbiIZYO8GSOHpz1vkU-Am3ZOlnbYUPBjX2Hniin3Fh2-Jn8IMQmglhs3mHVIc0vJwrhf2uM/s400/Implanon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">What is this contraceptive implant?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It is a contraceptive implant preloaded in a
disposable applicator. Inserted in the inner arm, the implant contains 68 mg of
the active substance etonogestrel which is a synthetic female hormone
resembling progesterone. A small amount of the hormone etonogestrel is
continuously released into the bloodstream for three years. The rod itself is
made of ethylene vinylacetate copolymer, a plastic that will not dissolve in
the body. Implanon NXT contains small amounts of barium sulfate (which renders
it visible under X-ray) and magnesium stearate.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The result is no more menstrual periods by stopping ovulation,
thickening the mucus around the opening of the cervix and
altering the lining of the uterus, thereby <span style="background: white;">providing
pregnancy protection </span>for a period of three years. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Question: Isn’t monthly menstruation normal for
all women? Then if so, interfering with a woman’s natural menstrual cycle could
very well adversely affect her reproductive health!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This has already been experienced with birth control
pills and Depo Provera, where women developed breast cancer among many other
cancers within 2-5 years. But because implants have a much longer period of birth control,
governments have thought this latest method to be perfect for population
control, most especially among the poor sectors of society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Let us now briefly view the history of Implanon:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="border: 1pt none; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; padding: 0in;">2006
July 18<sup>th</sup> – US FDA approves Implanon for birth control<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="border: 1pt none; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; padding: 0in;">2010
October – Implanon is discontinued and replaced by Nexplanon by Merck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="border: 1pt none; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; padding: 0in;">2012
Dec 21<sup>st</sup> – Aquino signs </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">the
Reproductive Health Bill (Republic Act 10354)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2015 Dec 21<sup>st</sup> – PhilHealth Subdermal
Contraceptive Implant Package<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2016 August – Supreme Court issued a TRO
on Implanon and Implanon NXT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2017 July 24<sup>th</sup> – Duterte asks Supreme
Court to lift TRO or have DOH give to another country their supply of near
expiring Implanon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just from the above, very glaring points of
question come to mind:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">1. Why was Implanon phased out in 2010, just four years after it
was approved by the USFDA?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">2. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">If Implanon was already phased out and replaced by Nexplanon
in 2010, why did PhilHealth purchase Implanon and not Nexplanon five years
later?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The reason for the first is that Implanon </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">was discontinued to reduce the risk of insertion errors.
Nexplanon implants contain a substance called barium, which allows them to be
easily located using X-rays and CT scans.</span> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Nexplanon
is simpler and avoids placing the implant too deep under the skin.</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> Considering that Implanon were given for free in targeted
urban poor communities like in Tondo, Manila by mainstream NGO Likhaan Center
for Women’s Health in partnership with the DOH, the risk of insertion errors was not a matter to be concerned with. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">For the 2<sup>nd</sup> question, having been
phased out in 2010, Implanon was either fully donated to our government or
purchased at a give-away cost that was
very timely as a political campaign gimmick by Senatorial wannabe Risa
Hontiveros, who at that time was appointed to PhilHealth for national electoral exposure.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Supreme Court TRO was a result of efforts from pro-life sectors but what was overlooked is the risk of developing breast
cancer from implants!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Going back to how these implants work by stopping
menstruation, just imagine what can happen to one’s hormonal health? The female
reproductive system will eventually go haywire and result into hormonal
imbalance. If menopause is a natural occurrence for all women and hormonal
replacement therapies (HRT’s) have been found to result into breast cancer, stopping
menstruation long before menopause would also invite breast cancer because of
the absence of natural estrogens and the entry of harmful foreign estrogens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Further consider that it has been just a decade
since these implants have been put into use. Only after a prolonged period of
time will it be definitely known that this 3-year birth control product
indeed causes breast cancer! So, would you want to take this risk? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The PBCN has had several cases of such implants
that have resulted in serious breast concern:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkebd2ki54agsSzNZ3w1fpSdFoTrLBjqXxiPOe8e73la4mP2mW4zfNp0oJh3gxi2sv_kAGnIoC-lxdZGp3G0ep0pTIeMRgijmKBL5T7NFTNhgrBnmqesVXbkisI0NlmMG1eHXFOv6iQwc/s1600/1+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="451" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkebd2ki54agsSzNZ3w1fpSdFoTrLBjqXxiPOe8e73la4mP2mW4zfNp0oJh3gxi2sv_kAGnIoC-lxdZGp3G0ep0pTIeMRgijmKBL5T7NFTNhgrBnmqesVXbkisI0NlmMG1eHXFOv6iQwc/s400/1+B.jpg" width="376" /></span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Two were young mothers from Tondo who started to
experience lumps in their breast just a year after having an implant from the
NGO Likhaan. The PBCN advised them to have them removed immediately and instead
practice the rhythm method or have their husbands use condoms.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One young mother was charged
Php10k for the implant by her Ob-Gyn and when she wanted it removed due to
breast problems she was experiencing, she was charged Php5k for the removal and
told that the lumps in her breast only showed how effective the implant was. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">This brings out a very terrible scenario!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Breast cancer is an epidemic in the Philippines.
If many women die from breast cancer, then population is controlled, especially
among the poor. If identified environmental causes of breast cancer are not
eliminated, the incidence rate of breast cancer will grow higher than 1 out of
13. With the addition of these very harmful implants, 1 out of 8 women will get breast
cancer ten years from now! Millions of pesos will be made by the
medical-pharmaceutical industry and poverty will be addressed with the reduction
of life among the poor because of breast cancer.</span>danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-613448428866498822016-05-04T22:52:00.000-07:002016-05-05T21:11:02.065-07:00PBCN statement on the May 9th National Elections<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Though breast cancer is also very much a political
issue, the Philippine Breast Cancer Network maintains its distance from
endorsing or aligning itself with any candidate or party in the forthcoming May
9<sup>th</sup> elections. Regardless of the results, breast cancer affects all
women whatever her political color. To maintain its integrity and advocacy, the
PBCN focuses on what needs to be done to prevent breast cancer towards the
ultimate eradication of this environmental health epidemic.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of the following distinctions of the
Philippines, what can be said to be lamentable and unacceptable? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">It
is the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia since 500 years ago;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. It
is said to be the oldest democracy in Asia since a century ago;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">3. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">It
is the only country in Asia where English is widely spoken since a century ago;
and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">4. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">It
has the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in Asia and the 10</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">
highest worldwide since the past three decades.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sadly though, the country’s political system has remained
basically feudal and has yet to mature even after having ousted the Marcos
dictatorship 30 years ago. Absent of a strong political party system, national
public officials have continued to be elected simply based on pure popularity. Being
such, legislators have all been ignorant on this public health epidemic and they
have all always focused on early detection which is definitely far from
prevention. Take for example, Senate Bill No. 1873 authored by Sen. Trillanes, SBN
2114 authored by Sen. Santiago and SBN 354 authored by Sen. Legarda. Worst of
all, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s SBN 2114 during the 16<sup>th</sup>
Congress was lifted almost entirely word for word from the <span style="color: #333333;">US Senate Bill 931 of the 113<sup>th</sup> Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Early in the term of President Noynoy
Aquino, PhilHealth launched a Z Program providing free medical treatment for
breast cancer. The PBCN registered its concerns on how the program would result
in much over diagnosis and over treatment, other than not being able to cure breast
cancer. Then by the latter part of his term, PhilHealth embarked on the wide
distribution of contraceptive implants which will place many mothers at very
high risk of getting breast cancer later on. At the end of his term, both of
these programs will not be evaluated nor will the public ever hear about them
because of their failures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now even cancer is being used as a vehicle for
political office. This Cancer Party List <span style="background: white; color: #141823;">aims for cancer patients and PWD’s to live a life of freedom through
access to quality healthcare, medication, and equal rights through the
following:</span><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;">1. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Raising
cancer awareness </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">The
development and implementation of policies that benefit cancer patients and PWD’s </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">3. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">The
rehabilitation and care of cancer patients and their loved ones.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are not their aims and goals also of the Department of Health?
The PBCN turned down an invitation to join or support this party list primarily
because it is no different from the Philippine Cancer Society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All
Presidential, Senatorial and Congressional candidates are thus challenged by
the Philippine Breast Cancer Network to enact laws and directives to protect all
women from the scourge of breast cancer, a few of which are the following which
will not cost government a centavo:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">STOP mandatory annual chest
x-rays for all government employees and make it optional for companies and
schools during pre-employment and pre-enrollment. This alone will drastically
reduce breast cancer because all women regardless of health status are being
unnecessary exposed regularly to at least 1,000 millirads of radiation.</span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">STOP the use of hormonal contraceptives in its
population control program because breast cancer is a hormonal disease. Women
will not be placed at risk of breast cancer when the use of other methods such
as condoms and rhythm method are encouraged instead. </span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">STOP operations of air-water-soil
contaminating industries regardless of environmental clearances - specially
identified mining operations that continue to spill cyanide and mercury in the
waterways of our country.</span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">STOP
the use of triclosan and parabens in all productions of various<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>cosmetics and bath soaps/shampoos
among other common consumer products. A Safety Chemical Act needs to be
legislated to keep our people healthy and not be at risk of developing<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>cancer from these identified
carcinogenic substances.</span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">FREEDOM
FROM BREAST CANCER!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-52276814733164976842016-02-14T01:34:00.001-08:002016-02-14T02:34:35.184-08:00Rosa lost her breast without her consent<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Nineteen years ago, on the 10th of February 1997, Rosa underwent a frozen section after having been told it was just a diagnostic procedure, without being informed of likely losing her left breast. She woke up hours later, devastated that she had lost her breast without her consent. That particular day was the start of a personal journey that to this very day has touched countless lives of women facing the same ordeal. She was neither the first nor the only woman to have been<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> traumatized by this unacceptable epidemic but that day ushered in the dawn of breast cancer advocacy in the Philippines.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbQbU8t6KXep14JrSwInpJlBjpw9VCaS9e3fp0xeiIa_jlZ8nqQ6YjdtqEpjCeIcpaPoTh-ensvcpEBRwLrtevflUKEKBVylhEeipyn1TU7-mXrfjq3FYKHd7k-vtq0TWyA8Vis0Yjh4/s1600/mastectomy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbQbU8t6KXep14JrSwInpJlBjpw9VCaS9e3fp0xeiIa_jlZ8nqQ6YjdtqEpjCeIcpaPoTh-ensvcpEBRwLrtevflUKEKBVylhEeipyn1TU7-mXrfjq3FYKHd7k-vtq0TWyA8Vis0Yjh4/s400/mastectomy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Rosa moved fast forward, took strong action – being the lone Philippine delegate to the 1st World Conference on Breast Cancer in Kingston, Ontario 5 months later and establishing the Philippine Breast Cancer Network a month after her return home. Rosa had single-handedly changed the landscape of breast cancer in the Philippines in that brief period.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
The day of her mastectomy, Rosa became a gladiator enslaved and thrown into the arena of mortal combat. She had no choice but to fight back and this she did to the very end with all her heart and soul with full honor and dignity! And just like Spartacus and Maximus, Rosa’s life and death began a movement to free the slaves. The only difference is that Rosa was a female gladiator in the killing fields of breast cancer.She never submitted to chemotherapy and radiation but instead pursued non-invasive and non-toxic measures.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
To this very day, many women continue to be imprisoned by the prevailing ignorance and helplessness brought about by a most obscenely lucrative breast cancer industry. With barely any understanding at all, they are rushed to make hard and fast decisions without knowing all their options and without knowing what to expect from any treatment or intervention. With such blindness, they are led to the arena without the single most important weapon to confront the enemy - that of knowing and understanding breast cancer. They become pathetic torture victims who plead for their lives yet are slaughtered methodically. Their carcasses most often ending up in closed coffins or incinerators due to the severe violence they had been submitted to - with excruciating pain written on their faces that no make-up can hide. Many among them were robbed of the chance to fight back - denied that final victory over death!</div>
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It has been 19 years since Rosa lost her breast and the PBCN she started continues to lead the growing army of women breast cancer warriors in attaining their individual victories in the struggle with breast cancer! Despite its gigantic task and meager resources, the PBCN remains undaunted and keeps drawing strength from every breast cancer warrior.</div>
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For those who’ve lost their breasts, never lose heart. And for all who have heart, keep your breasts.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
“Freedom from Breast Cancer!”</div>
</div>
danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-30069826513728050382015-09-30T23:49:00.001-07:002015-10-01T00:02:38.380-07:00When will breast cancer end?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3W5rwF2atUdqY_9lX-fPm05V6JAfdwoxghQNvluPniGikSvJwR3Tc1BNSma7rho5c5tdydQ2jiRi4DFEUg9ZWD219xOP9jSswfVqYOiC7mjmKSfprqeLCrQHQjAoejOq3Ussb7AHDWc/s1600/Collage+BC+photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3W5rwF2atUdqY_9lX-fPm05V6JAfdwoxghQNvluPniGikSvJwR3Tc1BNSma7rho5c5tdydQ2jiRi4DFEUg9ZWD219xOP9jSswfVqYOiC7mjmKSfprqeLCrQHQjAoejOq3Ussb7AHDWc/s320/Collage+BC+photos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“If only it were detected earlier, something could have been
done.” These are the often heard words of doctors. Very true, but what is that
something? Breast removal? Chemo? But even then, when is early detection? How
many years ago?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reality is that breast cancer is most very often realized
in advanced stages because it takes 5-10 years before the first signs and
symptoms of breast cancer are manifested. This being the case, no woman can be
blamed for seeking medical attention at advanced stages of her ailment because they never
had any understanding of the disease in the very first place.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When does a woman know she is pregnant? Does it mean that when
she misses a monthly menstrual cycle, it can be said she is pregnant? Only with
a pregnancy test can she be positive she is pregnant. Therefore, it is only after the fact. Because even without a
test, she will know she is pregnant as her tummy starts to grow. But what if a
woman misses her monthly cycle but has never had sex, typically among nuns?
Would a nun or virgin still submit to a pregnancy test? And what about
lactating mothers who notice a lump in their breasts? Would they ever think of a
breast disease, thinking that the lump is just milk?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, pregnancy is different from breast cancer because
the former is acceptable while the latter is not. Most, if not all women want
to get pregnant but no women would want to get breast cancer. A woman can
wait and see if she is pregnant but every woman would not want to wait and see if she
has breast cancer. Doctors are then just waiting for all
women to come to them when they already have breast cancer - and this is called “early detection?” Pregnancy
tests are very safe and reliable while mammography is not safe and not reliable. Why else is a biopsy done after a mammogram?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyreD2ydd9p2o77V-5c1hs5f1jTVPkQon0vRyl86W4cgkEWbGkIGQ8xU7l8JWDM_GH-d7E47Gwecs-S4_h4cZno8LAFhjrsBra_oHGj8zvPB21ZQPftZ9CHH0kRu4etKBcyWqiC9_R3CM/s1600/25+yr+study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyreD2ydd9p2o77V-5c1hs5f1jTVPkQon0vRyl86W4cgkEWbGkIGQ8xU7l8JWDM_GH-d7E47Gwecs-S4_h4cZno8LAFhjrsBra_oHGj8zvPB21ZQPftZ9CHH0kRu4etKBcyWqiC9_R3CM/s320/25+yr+study.jpg" width="263" /></a>Mammography is NOT early
detection! Having annual mammograms is just waiting to be told one day that a
malignancy is now detected, despite many years of undergoing mammography that
showed benign results. Mammography has a margin of error of 20% for women 50
years & above and 40% for women below age 50 (false positive and false
negative). Mammograms have caused much
over-diagnosis and over-treatment, especially in cases of DCIS (Ductal
Carcinoma In Situ) because it is non-invasive. Somewhere between 30-50% of DCIS
will go on to become invasive but 50-70% could safely ignore it and never have
a problem. The dilemma is that there is no current technology to determine
whether a woman’s DCIS will become aggressive or not. Because of this
uncertainty, women are over-treated with surgery, chemo and radiation – simply waiting
whether it will become malignant or not. Although DCIS is pre-cancer, the
diagnosis brings much fear, bewilderment and difficult decisions for the woman
and her family, most especially when understanding and knowledge of the disease
process and non-invasive/non-toxic options are absent.</div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIizpRcnSRT4JNq7zoN-5s70865q5UWspRVclkNthRVJSvhEXKOHScfhyO2a8muAgBLRfKAuTJ43ov4cclnn32z-ZpkcPOdfvJhyEfq2fdCelyuZqttdt8HLLoc2MYi7AHOeS04CqArtw/s1600/Phil+11th+highest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIizpRcnSRT4JNq7zoN-5s70865q5UWspRVclkNthRVJSvhEXKOHScfhyO2a8muAgBLRfKAuTJ43ov4cclnn32z-ZpkcPOdfvJhyEfq2fdCelyuZqttdt8HLLoc2MYi7AHOeS04CqArtw/s320/Phil+11th+highest.jpg" width="320" /></a>This October, the PBCN urges
women and men to join us in removing the pink ribbon blindfold and ask “why are
more and more women getting breast cancer?” Why has the incidence rate of
breast cancer in the Philippines increased from 1 out of 32 in 1980 to 1 out of
13 today? Why does our country have the highest incidence rate in Asia and the 10th highest worldwide? Why does government refuse to
acknowledge the environmental and occupational risk factors for breast cancer
when the evidence is already out there? The general public needs and deserves a
full understanding of ALL potential risk factors for the disease that threatens
ALL women – rich or poor, young or old, with or without child, learned or
unlearned, Christian or Muslim, whatever ideology or political persuasion.</div>
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</div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZLfWvjUMGCJzPe1nVvj1TU3fM1J14eOhqTxGt3VqHMEQcNU0rgl12Ex8Cyr4PL_4ORf4GH-iHe6Xx2Hq0Et9zS96w7vD_VHhAX1mK0Xxki8hrxg3YimkKOZyZqYcWuIAKFjD87d_D7M/s1600/BC+%2526+environment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZLfWvjUMGCJzPe1nVvj1TU3fM1J14eOhqTxGt3VqHMEQcNU0rgl12Ex8Cyr4PL_4ORf4GH-iHe6Xx2Hq0Et9zS96w7vD_VHhAX1mK0Xxki8hrxg3YimkKOZyZqYcWuIAKFjD87d_D7M/s320/BC+%2526+environment.jpg" width="258" /></a>Government and media continue to
focus on “lifestyle” risk factors such as diet and exercise, while ignoring the
potential 60% of breast cancer cases for which they have no explanation. What
about the role of chemical, environmental and occupational exposures? Why, when
the WHO (World Health Organization) states that prevention (which is not the
same as early detection) offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for
the control and decline of breast cancer in our country?</div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
Why is primary prevention (stopping
the disease before it starts) not given priority over treatment and care? Why
are those with the power to influence decisions on public healthcare not acting
on what we already know now? Why do they persist in refusing to acknowledge the
role of environmental and occupational toxins by ignoring decades of evidence
up to the present day on the link between lifelong (womb to grave) exposures to
toxins and the escalating breast cancer epidemic in the Philippines?</div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3wYNn3OUE0QuX09W3Dmabe79qQVVxSclr3ya37B06erKr7A5lfJCcoHSe_bxwpQiBIzrEdpodL_7XjgyoydH3poUXK2XFehN37HYjnsvr7CjIDD8nd-xVKDzt7QfrzGddJe0TtAOoEw/s1600/MCF_7178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3wYNn3OUE0QuX09W3Dmabe79qQVVxSclr3ya37B06erKr7A5lfJCcoHSe_bxwpQiBIzrEdpodL_7XjgyoydH3poUXK2XFehN37HYjnsvr7CjIDD8nd-xVKDzt7QfrzGddJe0TtAOoEw/s320/MCF_7178.jpg" width="276" /></a>Since 18 years ago when the PBCN
was established, countless women from all over the country (as well as OFW’s
worldwide) have taken contact by email, phone call and SMS for varying reasons:
from asking what to do and asking for financial aid. All inquiries were
promptly replied to: 24 hrs daily, 7 days a week and 12 months a year for the
past 18 years. All were given information to arrive at fully informed
decisions. But what the PBCN does, barely touches the surface. Not all women
have internet nor a cell phone, and neither can the PBCN exist forever.</div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 14.25pt;">The PBCN addresses women with
breast cancer, women not yet with breast cancer and women still to be born. </span><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;">Though the first is most immediate, the last
is what really matters. Ask any candidate in the forthcoming elections their
stand on breast cancer and let us elect whoever will make our country free of
breast cancer! Whoever gets elected President or Senator has to firmly act and not continue the deafening silence of government on this grave public health epidemic. </span></div>
<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="TextBody" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<br /></div>
danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-65737375418998703612014-11-11T15:27:00.001-08:002014-11-11T16:30:15.174-08:00Living 16 years with breast abnormalities<div align="left" class="western">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpSpNV3GZGr0M2mJWZ3ZpVnb7z-BuzUOudWd5BS-p1PvC4CNIZ3Kn6WZbmSR8-ZDCUNMCVNKeG_k-8TxznzqWwU5fj5Y33r2gvGOkyjsDe8mdjJI9w2P7-kyMJ6FpkXBNMSfeWPoULa8/s1600/9735069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpSpNV3GZGr0M2mJWZ3ZpVnb7z-BuzUOudWd5BS-p1PvC4CNIZ3Kn6WZbmSR8-ZDCUNMCVNKeG_k-8TxznzqWwU5fj5Y33r2gvGOkyjsDe8mdjJI9w2P7-kyMJ6FpkXBNMSfeWPoULa8/s320/9735069.jpg" width="221" /></a><span lang="ES-MX"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-MX">At age 23, Analiza<b> </b></span>felt lumps on her breast and her fear for breast cancer led her to attend the PBCN's 3<sup>rd </sup>Philippine Conference on Breast Cancer in the year 2000. The only girl in a family
of four, they had lost their mother to breast cancer and all her brothers were very
worried for her. To this day, she has been able to overcome her anxieties without
submitting to any invasive or toxic treatments.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-MX">Upon learning of the environmental links to the
disease, it was easy for her to understand what had most likely caused her
mother’s breast cáncer and had also placed herself at risk. Their home was where
her father kept all the pesticides used in the rice fields nearby their home in the beautiful province of B</span>ohol. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;">Soon after the conference, she had her
first thermal breast imaging which confirmed both of her breasts to be abnormal. A
doctor advised her to undergo a mammogram and excision biopsy of the 4cm lump in
her left breast – both of which she did not do. Instead, she followed all that
she learned from the PBCN. Two years later, she did a repeat thermal imaging
which now showed her left breast to be normal but with her right breast still
abnormal. She was able to avoid any damage to her breasts.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2H2msIo2qd2tvTMeltpqS5UlNXKiUKxxFEmWJo5N6vM7zl1yv7wyOSjtj3LGMMcGqnlamqbQkZVAel2O8u6xwM3AtdSuOyLRlPh5wvzhAmNh3lxJGe3BsnRBD15FOh2c8Az-h1bsb84/s1600/BRCA+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2H2msIo2qd2tvTMeltpqS5UlNXKiUKxxFEmWJo5N6vM7zl1yv7wyOSjtj3LGMMcGqnlamqbQkZVAel2O8u6xwM3AtdSuOyLRlPh5wvzhAmNh3lxJGe3BsnRBD15FOh2c8Az-h1bsb84/s1600/BRCA+5.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Analiza, standing 3rd from left.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;">In 2004, she was an active participant in the PBCN’s 5<sup>th</sup>
Project BRCA, an intensive 5-day training course for breast cancer activists.
With a wider knowledge and deeper understanding of breast cancer, she decided
to again undergo the PBCN’s Battle Plan for breast cancer, but this time in a
more intensive way than she did by herself.</span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">At age 31, she had her 3<sup>rd</sup>
thermal breast imaging which still showed an abnormal right breast though her
left breast remained normal despite presence of a lump. This no longer worried
her because it did not matter whether it was malignant or not. She remembered
very well that all malignancies are definitely abnormal but not all abnormalities
are malignant. What was important was that she had learned how to deal with her breast abnormalities – that hers may most likely be of the non-aggressive type and
that any aggressive procedure may just likely harm her. She would rather continue
with all she learned from the PBCN in addressing her breast abnormalities.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: large;">Now age 39, she is
preparing herself for marriage and felt it best to have another thermal
imaging. The results have shown inflammations
and she will again be doing a non-invasive and non-toxic approach. She understands that her body
is constantly at risk from varied environmental risk exposures and needs to again do
“house cleaning.”</span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsZp_VRCD3yfiweFnruC2ognkGunkriqPhNsvWgAbDjDVMll96WjJPWc7PKkUdtEMCsr3HUD831pgoFf76pEEURk_n483MmW2eyGP9EAO9pDoVxpVCqX_dSTIZTQDZ9g3wYmyzv9o_h4/s1600/Analiza+cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsZp_VRCD3yfiweFnruC2ognkGunkriqPhNsvWgAbDjDVMll96WjJPWc7PKkUdtEMCsr3HUD831pgoFf76pEEURk_n483MmW2eyGP9EAO9pDoVxpVCqX_dSTIZTQDZ9g3wYmyzv9o_h4/s1600/Analiza+cafe.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Whether or not she has
breast cancer is no longer an issue for her. She feels fine with her
breast abnormalities and has been able to manage her health all these years. Her example has even greatly influenced her family, friends and acquaintances in avoiding environmental risk factors in their daily lives. She admits that
had she submitted to an excision biopsy, she may most likely have been over diagnosed and over treated at age 25 for the lump on her left
breast and would probably have not been able to enjoy a full life for the past 16 years – specially now that she is preparing herself for married life. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Only with knowledge and understanding of breast cancer can one be empowered to arrive at fully informed decisions and take action. As one can live with breast cancer, more so that one can live with breast abnormalities.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"Freedom from breast cancer!"</span><br />
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-82016574390353105012014-10-01T03:36:00.002-07:002014-10-03T21:40:45.877-07:00Sailing the unknown sea of breast cancer<div class="MsoNormal">
From January to September
this year, a total of 25 client-patients (68% below age 50) were mentored by
the PBCN. The youngest was 22 and the oldest was 85. They all underwent an
intensive period of detoxification and nutritional healing fortified by an
in-depth knowledge and understanding of the environmental causes of breast
cancer. <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ages 20-29 2 Ages
50-59 3<o:p></o:p></div>
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30-39 6 60-69 3<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>40-49 9</u> <u>70 & up 2</u><o:p></o:p></div>
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17 8<o:p></o:p></div>
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Prior to their individual
protocol, 15 had been medically diagnosed positive with malignancy while 10
only had abnormal thermal breast imaging. The PBCN maintains that having inflammations
as shown from an abnormal heat pattern is enough reason for early intervention
to be able to correct and reverse the condition without invasive and toxic
measures. With conventional textbook medical practice, a positive malignancy
must be determined thru a biopsy before treatment is done – surgery, chemo and
radiation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It must be understood that it
takes 5-10 years before the first symptoms of breast cancer are manifested.
This is a primary reason why mammography has a very high margin of error of 20%
to 40% false negative and false positive. In fact, any mammogram result needs
to be confirmed with a biopsy. Worst of all, even women with physical
manifestations such as engorged breasts, large lumps or nipple discharge are
still subjected to mammography when it is clinically clear that breast cancer
can already be assumed. History taking even without any diagnostic procedure
can further validate physical examination.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>These particular cases were prevented from undergoing unnecessary surgical procedures:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyQXF7LHQKENCMYD-o2XE3NFkM822xwkSzG8FCa-VcY5ZDmT4F6QnwOqFYBelTujxR55f8kPyQXjvMccQt8HROqCCvs0wylRqTM8tgYuiGJLyYFVS9AVXv94CnLsKQ8lJzzIw48MITyU/s1600/Nida+Sarajena+2014+06+17+B+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyQXF7LHQKENCMYD-o2XE3NFkM822xwkSzG8FCa-VcY5ZDmT4F6QnwOqFYBelTujxR55f8kPyQXjvMccQt8HROqCCvs0wylRqTM8tgYuiGJLyYFVS9AVXv94CnLsKQ8lJzzIw48MITyU/s1600/Nida+Sarajena+2014+06+17+B+FB.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">A 29 y/o was spared from aggressive medical procedures in Singapore.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_2_KPG_IMbBsAn5brO2B_x3NkJdu4a-0egwvGPsnOSBZELuUCNo49cX6PKYXWFaBz7MsDaedKfeMksB3vWBvrpPQUbnfG3KkWgtJaNGuJVNfy5I8z1i9f2bPljqk2NJUcpLtol2U_Mo/s1600/Dolores+Mabanta+B+2014+05+05+FB2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_2_KPG_IMbBsAn5brO2B_x3NkJdu4a-0egwvGPsnOSBZELuUCNo49cX6PKYXWFaBz7MsDaedKfeMksB3vWBvrpPQUbnfG3KkWgtJaNGuJVNfy5I8z1i9f2bPljqk2NJUcpLtol2U_Mo/s1600/Dolores+Mabanta+B+2014+05+05+FB2.jpg" height="311" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Biopsy of right lump of a77 y/o was avoided because her left side was more abnormal.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLD4saObAZpW37ACqyR69qYVvyFsfxzJ3eIfx_msY5vMA4z1pignbMzBaXJVFCGWQdsW4v4DFBMU5-RN2I-k91A4RNB47wcX2-swHgua6M8odMT_AxgyOLW9C3fnleQbOB8tXYCX4sgE/s1600/Gloria+Tabios+2014+09+22+B+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLD4saObAZpW37ACqyR69qYVvyFsfxzJ3eIfx_msY5vMA4z1pignbMzBaXJVFCGWQdsW4v4DFBMU5-RN2I-k91A4RNB47wcX2-swHgua6M8odMT_AxgyOLW9C3fnleQbOB8tXYCX4sgE/s1600/Gloria+Tabios+2014+09+22+B+FB.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: start;">A 66 y/o was prevented from a mastectomy in a tertiary government hospital.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Of the 15 who had been medically diagnosed and or treated prior to contacting the PBCN, none had any understanding at all of breast cancer and all regretted having submitted to invasive and toxic treatments which made matter worse for them and their families. All lymph nodes removed from 3 cases were negative for malignancies while only 9 out of 61 lymph nodes (15%) removed from 5 cases were positive. Their lymphatic systems have now become impaired by the loss of so many clear lymph nodes. By having been mentored by the PBCN, four were spared from surgery and chemo while seven did not anymore undergo chemo. The three who submitted to surgery and chemo sought the PBCN as a last resort because they already had recurrence and/or metastasis.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mammogram and or biopsy only---4<o:p></o:p></div>
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Up to Surgery only--------------------8<o:p></o:p></div>
Surgery and Chemo-------------------3 <br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>The following cases where spared from the debilitating effects of chemo and huge expenses.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302948px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">After fully completing the PBCN's protocol, 66 year old Luz was so happy that her repeat thermal imaging after just two months showed a vast improvement of her very severe inflammations after her mastectomy. Furthermore, she has not been taking any of her previously prescribed maintenance medications for her scoliosis and hypertension feels great. She and her entire family are now more than ever fully decided not to undergo chemotherapy and continue all they have learned from the PBCN.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOO_QW6WrNrvdkRJsqkBWAzcOhWVJI8rsTOHzn28JJkWECZVMvCVVKdvRk0xUlfd1n9_L_euWCMZf-nQdEP12Er_TionDimbXrayWsKNjVotCHsX50XkULozYuSsZZBqe-XZsFSozBlEc/s1600/Luzviminda+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOO_QW6WrNrvdkRJsqkBWAzcOhWVJI8rsTOHzn28JJkWECZVMvCVVKdvRk0xUlfd1n9_L_euWCMZf-nQdEP12Er_TionDimbXrayWsKNjVotCHsX50XkULozYuSsZZBqe-XZsFSozBlEc/s1600/Luzviminda+Collage.jpg" height="266" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwzCxrMMq3kX2RnEKXqFc8OwoPr7AMY9-lj0E9N7FVitmbmhKzJedlniCdd-kmhPTVw2-EL7Dy8PgPPLcm_WagjBCW_bLRgWfmzlpEV2mic2n3KkM5gjhQP0TCj6t3OdSo39Vc9qpk6c/s1600/Rovena+Dema-Ala+2014+09+08+B+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwzCxrMMq3kX2RnEKXqFc8OwoPr7AMY9-lj0E9N7FVitmbmhKzJedlniCdd-kmhPTVw2-EL7Dy8PgPPLcm_WagjBCW_bLRgWfmzlpEV2mic2n3KkM5gjhQP0TCj6t3OdSo39Vc9qpk6c/s1600/Rovena+Dema-Ala+2014+09+08+B+FB.jpg" height="303" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">A 44 y/o OFW nurse methodically cut-up in Dubai for a non-life threatening case of DCIS.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvsncm7RFOOCQvEl5HiRccQWnc5EMTukC-MvyayBvHI2XUC9vkaWr7bTFlTz6AEnkIEqZN39Le7dDerNIi6zzQmg1H25TXVkQ6uOFAF8QVY5FzXw3AcxD9hlVwoQwTPv3khyphenhyphenHRELdk8c/s1600/Lety+Jotie+Bilateral+2014+03+14+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvsncm7RFOOCQvEl5HiRccQWnc5EMTukC-MvyayBvHI2XUC9vkaWr7bTFlTz6AEnkIEqZN39Le7dDerNIi6zzQmg1H25TXVkQ6uOFAF8QVY5FzXw3AcxD9hlVwoQwTPv3khyphenhyphenHRELdk8c/s1600/Lety+Jotie+Bilateral+2014+03+14+FB.jpg" height="339" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">An 85 y/o case who has continued not to submit to chemo since her mastectomy in 2008.</span></td></tr>
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No two cases of breast cancer are the same and this is why one should not be made to routinely undergo and submit to medical textbook procedures and
treatments. Harm will always be known after the fact whereas utmost precaution reduces
probability of harm and complications. To err on the side of caution is always of paramount benefit to a woman's welfare and well being.</div>
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Seventeen years of dealing with breast cancer have brought
about the following healing perspective. </div>
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<b>1. Empowerment of the individual</b> – character, attitude,
purpose and spirituality are qualities which strengthen her will and
determination to scale the heights of healing and wellness. She must strive to
maintain peace and happiness within herself all throughout her journey. And only by knowing and understanding the
environmental causes and risk factors of breast cancer can she learn how to
live with the disease. </div>
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<b>2. Support of the individual</b> – Family and friends are
crucial in lifting up her spirit and cheer her up as she runs the marathon of
her life. Though she will seek the opinion of others, she alone must decide the
road to take and whatever her decision, for as long as she is fully informed,
must be respected and supported. Having her follow whoever provides financial
help is NOT support but pressure or even coercion. This can be also said of health insurance
which automatically decides her treatment in the guise of care and support for
its clients.</div>
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<b>3. Safe Environment</b> – An empowered individual with all the
full support around her will be nothing if she works or resides in an
environment that caused her cancer or that will expose her to more carcinogens.
In confronting breast cancer, so many hard decisions have to be
made. She may have to resign from her
job, change occupation or even transfer residence. She needs to act decisively on the external
condition in her daily life to reduce, if not eliminate identified
environmental factors that can cause or aggravate her condition.</div>
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<b>4. Resources</b> – Expenses cannot be avoided but it is totally
untrue and incorrect to think that having so much money and resources can buy a
cure. Nowhere in the entire world can a
cure for breast cancer be found or bought, no matter how much money one has.
There are only a wide array of treatments and protocols (both conventional and
alternative) that have positive and negative results. Breast cancer would not be a controversy if
there truly is a cure.</div>
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In mainstream conventional practice, the order above is reversed where resources
is #1 and the individual is last. The more money one has, the more treatments are
offered while the patient is given only minimal participation because of
absence of full information. She would always be asked if she would prefer this
or that, but how would she ever know? </div>
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In coping with breast cancer, it is the individual who is the
ultimate and final player. And this is why the PBCN was started 17 years ago
and continues to exist – to mentor breast cancer warriors. </div>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-66617205986391994482014-07-27T03:34:00.001-07:002014-09-28T01:14:48.532-07:00Rosa's Plenary 15 years ago<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>27 July 1999</b></div>
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<b>Ottawa, Canada</b><br />
<b><b>Opening Plenary</b></b></div>
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<b>2<sup>nd</sup> World Conference on Breast Cancer</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9_dZLQpC68uIC8wL-0x4wl5pOT4fKXwULqDeR7THwPltQWvYxT9nP7B2RZ1doMRrkrvmC6d4ORyWAvdQbBSfbf1qXcFq38KTcp5xFg7pRU9sn2Ff6PZGPKzoW7-egQAVuax_FjFRpvI/s1600/download+(27).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9_dZLQpC68uIC8wL-0x4wl5pOT4fKXwULqDeR7THwPltQWvYxT9nP7B2RZ1doMRrkrvmC6d4ORyWAvdQbBSfbf1qXcFq38KTcp5xFg7pRU9sn2Ff6PZGPKzoW7-egQAVuax_FjFRpvI/s1600/download+(27).jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a><b>A most beautiful morning to all the gallant women and men in
the global movement for the eradication of breast cancer. My name is Rosa Francia-Meneses and I am from the Philippines.</b></div>
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<b>When <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timescolonist/obituary.aspx?pid=165042127">Laurene Clark</a> asked me to talk in this <a href="http://bcam.qc.ca/content/many-faces-breast-cancer">opening plenary</a>,
I felt challenged. To speak before such a huge audience baring my soul, if not
my chest…that is tough Yes, living with breast cancer is really tough. Tougher
still when you have to recount the terrible pain of a not so distant past. It’s
like scratching a wound and exposing the raw part of it. I go through this
motion many times when I talk – so you can imagine how often I bear the pain.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Recalling the pain serves a purpose – to remind myself that
dealing with it is living with breast cancer. As I do so today, I am reminded
of the many other gallant women doing the same. My story is the same as every
woman with breast cancer. </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>In February 1997, after my two year old daughter refused to
suck from my left breast, I went to a doctor because of a nagging lump I
thought was dried breast milk. I went alone, thinking that it was a routine checkup.
Nothing prepared me for the shock that followed.</b></div>
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<b>He was not a doctor of my choice but one referred by my
health maintenance plan. After enduring the pain of a mammogram, he coldly told
me I had cancer and had to undergo surgery at once. He didn’t wait for any of
my family’s presence for that heartless declaration. With utter disbelief, I
told him I couldn’t have cancer – no one in my family had cancer. My ears then
just shut off and I no longer heard whatever he was saying afterwards. Walking
away from the hospital like a lost soul, I don’t even know how I got home.</b></div>
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<b>My 21 year old daughter was eager to learn of the result.
Suddenly, the tears I had been holding back flowed like Niagara Falls. No words
came out but it was enough for my daughter to know that death was casting its
shadow on us. My husband had to be brave for both of us. He brought me to his
childhood classmate who was a cancer surgeon. I must have been stricken with
total numbness for I just left everything up to them.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>His friend had me immediately confined in preparation for a
frozen section biopsy. Being both ignorant, we left everything up to the
doctor. Again, nothing prepared me for what happened later on. </b></div>
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<b>I was brought to the operating room early in the morning and
regained consciousness from the anesthesia early evening. Upon opening my eyes,
I saw the sad faces of my family and friends around me. I thought I had died.
My body felt torn apart, like some blasted wall. I instinctively reached for my
heart where the pain hurt most. Realizing that my left breast was gone, I could
only wish I was back in my mother’s womb.</b></div>
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<b>The days that followed were like preparing for a final exam.
My husband and I devoured as many information available on breast cancer and
sought anyone with knowledge of this disease. It was to get myself ready for
chemotherapy because I was given a very bad prognosis of advanced breast cancer
with 16 out of 23 lymph nodes found malignant. With chemo, I was being given a
5 year statistical chance of survival but without chemo, I was not to survive
more than two years. Five months later, I had not yet submitted to any further
assault on my body. </b></div>
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<b>By fate, a friend had informed me of the <a href="http://www.life.org.nz/abortion/aboutabortion/aboutabortion19/">1st World Conference on Breast Cancer</a> in Kingston, Ontario. This time, my feeling
was not for anyone else to decide for me. I had to be fully armed with
knowledge and understanding before facing another battle.</b></div>
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<b>I gathered all my inner strength to travel all by myself for
the very first time outside my country, at a great distance on an extended
airfare payment just to attend that historical conference in July, 1997. It
turned out that I was the only breast cancer delegate in attendance from the
Philippines. It was as if I was the only one with breast cancer from my
country.</b></div>
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<b>I clearly remember that time when I was among the audience,
simply overwhelmed as I listened to the plenary talks of the late <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Abzug">Bella Abzug,</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devra_Davis">DevraDavis</a>, <a href="http://www.collegiumramazzini.org/fellows1.asp?id=242">Annie Sasco</a> and <a href="http://steingraber.com/">Sandra Steingraber</a>. By some unexplained force, I was
drawn to the concurrent session of <a href="http://jrreisswriter.com/">Joan Reiss</a>. As she presented, I was already
contemplating on what had to be done to prevent my three daughters from getting
breast cancer.</b></div>
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<b>Traveling back to the Philippines, I chanced on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiko_D%C5%8Dmoto">Akiko Domoto</a>
at the airport and told her of my intention of holding a similar conference in
my country, no matter the burden for a sick woman like me. At hindsight, there
seemed to be an unseen hand leading me to people who would later mean much to
what I would be undertaking.</b></div>
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<b>The Kingston Conference was the reason why my husband and I
have decided to commit our lives to the movement for the global eradication of
breast cancer – to live or even die so that others may live. The conference
galvanized me and to this very day, I have not submitted myself to any form of
chemotherapy or radiation, 29 months after my radical mastectomy. How did I
manage to stretch the time, struggling to live to once again be with all of
you, not anymore the “lost” soul from the Philippines but as a plenary speaker.</b></div>
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<b>Immediately upon my return from Kingston, along with my
husband and a few close friends, I established the Philippine Breast Cancer
Network on the 28<sup>th</sup> of August 1997, patterned after the Canadian
Breast Cancer Network.</b></div>
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<b>Against many odds, we were able to hold the first ever
Philippine Conference on Breast Cancer on October 1998. We were blessed with
the presence of <a href="http://www.breastcancerfund.org/about/our-founder/">Andrea Martin</a> of The Breast Cancer Fund, Kimiko Goldberg of the
Japan Breast Cancer Network and Cindy Termorshuizen (representing Akiko Domoto
of the Japanese Diet). Devra Davis sent invaluable materials which have since
become the core of the PBCN’s information and awareness initiatives.</b></div>
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<b>In spite of the spiraling increase in breast cancer
incidence and mortality in the Philippines, no considered the highest in Asia,
there has been no organization whether private or government focused on the
issue of breast cancer alone, prior to the PBCN. All were general cancer groups
that were hospital based, initiated by doctors and which maintained a purely
medical point of view. All were just preoccupied on how to cope with medical
treatments, how to accept one’s fate and how to prepare for one’s death. None
at all even slightly touched on the causes of breast cancer.</b></div>
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<b>Breast cancer patients in the Philippines have no rights.
They have no right to speak or to ask. They have always been considered to be
the walking dead – people to take pity on and offered prayers for. It’s just
tough luck if one gets breast cancer in the Philippines.</b></div>
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<b>During the recent public deliberations on the Total Ban of
incinerators in the Philippines, our Department of Health (DOH) wanted an
exemption for medical incinerators, our Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA)
wanted an exemption for chemical incinerators and our Department of Environment
& Natural Resources (DENR) wanted an exemption for solid waste
incinerators. Our own government and not the private sector were unsupportive
of the total ban. During the Belgian Dioxin Scare, our DOH stated that our
government was not in any position to act on dioxin in our food, water and air
supply, even as far as saying that “a little amount of dioxin was nothing to
worry about.”</b></div>
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<b>The 5-Year Health Priorities for Research of our Department
of Science and Technology (DOST) focuses on cure and treatment and simply looks
upon cancer as an unavoidable cost of progress. Our Department of Agriculture
(DA) actively promotes and encourages chemical farming. Our tri-media is more
concerned with sensational news of rape and kidnapping, not knowing that the
same level of violence is committed everyday of hundreds of women diagnosed
with breast cancer.</b></div>
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<b>The greatest risk of getting breast cancer tomorrow is being
born today in a developing country. The greatest risk of not surviving breast
cancer today is being a woman in the Philippines. But now, the landscape of
breast cancer in the Philippines is changing. To this day, the PBCN has been
able to enlist more than two hundred women with breast cancer and several
hundreds more of women at risk of getting it. The PBCN has conducted a series
of 7 lectures and 6 symposiums all over the archipelago that had more than a
thousand in attendance. On October this year will be held the 2<sup>nd</sup>
Philippine Conference on Breast Cancer.</b></div>
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<b>A month ago, a nurse who was moved by one of our provincial
symposiums; a daughter who had just lost her mother to breast cancer; and a
female surgeon who is disturbed by the high incidence rate in her locality –
each made separate contact with us expressing their desire to do something. To
commemorate the PBCN’s 2<sup>nd</sup> year of existence with the help of these
3 women, the PBCN launched the first ever breast cancer prevention project in
the Visayas, the first ever “Fight Breast Cancer Week” in the University of the
Philippines and the first ever breast cancer symposium for Philippine Muslim
women. Talk about things just happening through some unseen hand. </b></div>
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<b>The PBCN has been moving forward and taking strong action,
breaking the silence and shattering the walls of apathy and ignorance. We have
been taking a journey in unknown territory that has never been seen in the
Philippines. We have had to rely on help from friends here and there, now and
then, in whatever form and in whatever way. We continue to uphold and defend
our dignity and self-esteem, never cowing to statements that in fund raising,
“beggars can’t be choosers.” Though we have not received any major funding from
whatever source, we will never beg for our lives.</b></div>
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<b>Four months ago, I attended a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.474680622557020.110703.190287584329660&type=3">breast cancer conference in Brussels</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.767321473292932.1073741826.190287584329660&type=1">,</a>
organized by the <a href="http://www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org/">US National Breast Cancer Coalition</a>. A week before, I had
surgical removal of a lump due to recurrence. This did not stop me from
traveling because it was my first opportunity to be a plenary speaker in an
international setting. What almost prevented my attendance was the Belgian
Embassy in Manila. They doubted the conference and they doubted me. It took
five visits and several communications within a brief period before I was
finally issued a visa – and believe it or not, just a day before my flight
departure.</b></div>
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<b>Recurrence for a woman with breast cancer is of extreme
anxiety. But the recurrence of a foreign embassy’s arrogance and discrimination
of women living with breast cancer makes matters far more unbearable.</b></div>
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<b>Today, I stand before you, a single-breasted woman with a
recurring hurt in my heart. I bear with me the memory of sixteen women from my
country who have gone ahead and the faces of five women of my delegation who
should have been among you right now, to witness this historical conference.</b></div>
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<b>The Philippine delegation to this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.767321473292932.1073741826.190287584329660&type=1">1999 World Conference onBreast Cancer</a> underwent a radical mastectomy, performed by a supposed embassy
of goodwill and friendship which has made them diplomatic surgeons armed with
the skill and precision only a woman who has lost her breast can never forget.
The Philippine Canadian Embassy felt that this World Conference was not reason
enough to be granted an entry visa and worst of all, considered the Philippine
delegation a scam. My five colleagues: a nine year breast cancer survivor, a
medical doctor, a nutritionist and two physical therapists never felt so
rejected and humiliated in all of their lives. They had prepared and looked
forward to coming with me, most specially Chit Marfil, who said, “Do I have to
undress and show these embassy consuls the scar on my chest?” Like men in
white, these diplomats felt no need to neither explain themselves nor apologize
for their acts.</b></div>
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<b>Imagine the shock I got when our delegation was called a
scam and denied visas? A delegation that I had long worked for to realize? They
cut up my delegation just like when my breast was cut off. They had rudely and
coldly shut the door that was opened two years ago in Kingston where I was also
all alone. I find myself all alone again. What does it have to take for a woman
to wage battle with breast cancer?</b></div>
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<b>Not only are we faced with the uncertainties of medical
science and the greed of a cancer industry, but now, we are even insulted with
the indifference and callousness of a host country’s embassy officials. This
incidence has now become an international concern. The outpouring of letters
from all over the world in support of the rejected PBCN delegation to the
conference has finally shown the true meaning of global action. </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>But then there will be no winners- only losers. On the side
of the Canadian Embassy, their decisions must not be questioned, much more be
pressured. On the side of the Philippine Breast Cancer Network, our motives and
actions must not be undermined, much more, be insulted. On the side of the
organizers, of this world conference, this undertaking must not be doubted,
much more, be exploited. On the side of women all over the world who are
afflicted with breast cancer, our condition must not be compromised, much more,
be aggravated.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Women have long been the watershed of man’s bruised ego. And
when she gets breast cancer, she becomes his nightmare. She is cut, burned and
poisoned but much worse, she is doubted, insulted and robbed of her dignity.
She who nurtures life has lost her value. How much longer does this have to go
on? How many more women have to get breast cancer?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56-NH-uUm4cs-tBGUkc2msJagwZPRhdC2eao_MDDtcmhbOaYsx_rGivPjgl8XDwVXAEmchydtj1pFqo5Nvz902O65_ZbDRc3DrL9hqsbbiUPmOQM6I5PYcThjiZTksMldkKuhPo0fyDs/s1600/download+29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56-NH-uUm4cs-tBGUkc2msJagwZPRhdC2eao_MDDtcmhbOaYsx_rGivPjgl8XDwVXAEmchydtj1pFqo5Nvz902O65_ZbDRc3DrL9hqsbbiUPmOQM6I5PYcThjiZTksMldkKuhPo0fyDs/s1600/download+29.jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a><b></b><br />
<b><b><br /></b></b>
<b>I call on every country to each have a national breast
cancer network with a patient’s perspective. I call on the creation of a World
Breast Cancer Network. Our numbers have been growing and the army of breast
cancer warriors are uniting and closing ranks for one purpose. Together we will
change the world that all our daughters may never experience the pain and agony
of breast cancer.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>And just by being with all of you today, I feel no longer
alone. I may have lost a breast and I may even lose my life, but I will never
lose my heart.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>To each of you, I give all my love from deep beneath my bare
chest.</b></div>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-68692232023313200982014-07-07T19:23:00.000-07:002014-11-14T02:28:30.382-08:00HUMAN NATURE - Pink marketing at its worst!<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When a woman hears the word MAMMO, what enters her mind?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Try typing the letters MAMMO in your search engine and see what comes out - <i style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.363636016845703px;"><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammo">Mammo</a>, </b></i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.363636016845703px;">a film by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shyam_Benegal" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 20.363636016845703px; text-decoration: none;" title="Shyam Benegal">Shyam Benegal</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.363636016845703px;"> released in 1994.....</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">A <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mammo">"long bomb" home run</a> as first described by Atlanta Braves career player and third baseman Chipper Jones (#10) ....</span></span>......<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://radiology.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=82">Mammo: Mammography/ Breast Imaging</a>......</span>or <a href="http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/mammo-">referring to the mammary gland</a>. </span>Of these four, what would be the most common understanding to one's mind upon hearing the word MAMMO?</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hwD362osntH44vV1x2G1uEqnWVCpiDnTlGyxU-3ziWBARbrA_MMC_aOms6XySpz5l9EaFUGhC9shRdtsOSCirtuhoi7bi6dGl8R_9Y9oSoB9ZAfKHelp9A_vobK_4sas7HHTHgdqqf0/s1600/Human+Nature+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hwD362osntH44vV1x2G1uEqnWVCpiDnTlGyxU-3ziWBARbrA_MMC_aOms6XySpz5l9EaFUGhC9shRdtsOSCirtuhoi7bi6dGl8R_9Y9oSoB9ZAfKHelp9A_vobK_4sas7HHTHgdqqf0/s1600/Human+Nature+1.jpg" height="400" width="281" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Well, there is now a self-proclaimed "pro-Philippines, pro-poor and pro-environment" passionate enterprise called <a href="https://www.humanheartnature.com/">HUMAN NATURE</a> that provides personal care products in the Philippines, the <a href="https://humanheartnature.com/us/">United States of America</a> and other countries worldwide. Unfortunately, it turns out that this company is anti-women and really only interested in making millions from the lucrative and huge market of women because of its corporate support and promotion of mammography.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">In a message received by the PBCN on 20 June 2014 from the company's President<b> <o:p></o:p></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Anna Meloto-Wilk</span><span style="background-color: white;">: "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">MammoMe was an initiative of Kasuso Foundation
and they were the ones who approached us regarding the idea. Since we are a
company that believes in a healthier lifestyle and in promoting products that
are safe, we think it's a great collaboration."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-top: 5.75pt;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The name of product itself - MammoMe - also
came from the party of Kasuso Foundation and their agency. The root word
"mammo" refers to the breasts, to the mammary glands, and is in no
way intended to relate to mammograms."<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-top: 5.75pt;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"If you look at all our promotional materials,
you will see that we heavily concentrate on instilling the habit of doing
breast self exam which every consumer can do without any help from a doctor. We
firmly believe this is a great way of empowering women in taking better care of
their health and in knowing their body better."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-top: 5.75pt;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Lastly, a big part of MammoMe is helping
indigent women who need financial help in getting the health care they need. A
significant portion of the proceeds go to funding medical treatment for them."</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-top: 5.75pt;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Is the company into prevention of breast cancer or treatment of the disease? Are the company's products meant to prevent breast cancer or meant to augment breast cancer detection? It proudly states that their products are 100% NO harmful Chemicals and yet they are telling women to regularly self-exam their breasts in the shower. Well, the more you consume their natural body wash product, the better for them cause most women will never feel a lump in the shower until it is already palpable. So what good is the company's campaign to fight breast cancer? There is NO such thing as early detection because it takes 5-10 years before the first symptoms of breast cancer are manifested. Furthermore, once a breast lump is felt in the shower, what next? Aha! You are to undergo a mammogram! So can </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anna Meloto-Wilk honestly insist that their product </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in no way is intended to relate to mammograms?</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwAB5i44yaMDf1zkUxz-4I4fEqXWZlRN5zOdtQ7ABS7ixGxE09IlaCtBhNVvQZVPiGONztnLGwJlJ-iQdXfPZkF_hry4uv-Sp0wr7oYq3HuacSi7RidTcYMeJrGXdYwb9HHJJpEida9E/s1600/Human+Nature+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwAB5i44yaMDf1zkUxz-4I4fEqXWZlRN5zOdtQ7ABS7ixGxE09IlaCtBhNVvQZVPiGONztnLGwJlJ-iQdXfPZkF_hry4uv-Sp0wr7oYq3HuacSi7RidTcYMeJrGXdYwb9HHJJpEida9E/s1600/Human+Nature+3.jpg" height="400" width="276" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Mammo-you, Mammo-Me? To my knowledge, this is the very first time that a company in the whole world has engaged itself in the full support and promotion of mammography! (The PBCN challenges the company to market Mammo-Me in the USA.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One in 13 Filipino women will get breast cancer in her lifetime BUT is this meant to instill fear or should it be taken as a wake-up call for women to act on preventive measures instead of detection? To take action on eliminating the environmental causes of breast cancer such as paraben in personal care products! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sadly, Anna Meloto-Wilk has allowed herself to be grossly misled by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2951503564536415280#editor/target=post;postID=2179838354104513394;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=7;src=postname">vested interests of the breast cancer industry</a> to believe that lowering one's risk of breast cancer is solely on diet& fitness, breastfeeding and monthly self-exams. Think about this: a woman has a negative reading from her annual mammo year in and year out till one day, there is a suspicion and finally, she is said to have a malignancy. So where is prevention? Self-exams, especially mammo is just to tell you of an existing problem - not preventing it from happening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">HUMAN NATURE has to immediately change their entire campaign into breast cancer prevention - NOT breast cancer detection. They are very much in a position to do so because of their paraben-free products! By heeding this serious and urgent concern, Anna Meloto-Wilk can now truly say that her company is Pro-Women! Meanwhile, HUMAN NATURE is just another pink washer!</span></div>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-10469221972234463882014-05-20T04:58:00.003-07:002015-04-08T02:28:38.263-07:00PBCN Position on Senate Bills on Breast Cancer<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Philippine Senate Committee on Health</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Public
Hearing on SBN 1873<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">10am, Tuesday, 20 May
2014</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
am registering my strongest objection to Senate Bill No. 1873 authored by Sen.
Trillanes, as well as SBN 2114 authored by Sen. Santiago and SBN 354 authored
by Sen. Legarda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUf2KRghT9tCuymEdJAS4DmbWF7aXAaauGjJlAHOIpKFQFKxml9afneBaO8tMfktYR9wc2sRvAlL5cVYFw9f0k8KEiJXLAptVvnTUp9qdhMcEfMruIKfNonbmRcxiKI2OrZxc0KpIIwM/s1600/IMG_2766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUf2KRghT9tCuymEdJAS4DmbWF7aXAaauGjJlAHOIpKFQFKxml9afneBaO8tMfktYR9wc2sRvAlL5cVYFw9f0k8KEiJXLAptVvnTUp9qdhMcEfMruIKfNonbmRcxiKI2OrZxc0KpIIwM/s1600/IMG_2766.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our
country has had the highest increase in breast cancer incidence rate worldwide
for the past 30 years, where today, is the highest in Asia and 11<sup>th</sup>
highest worldwide. One in every 13 women will get breast cancer which is a
serious and urgent public health epidemic that has never been fully addressed
by government. To even aggravate matters, SBN 1873 and SBN 354 will further
worsen the situation by opening the floodgates, leading thousands of innocent victims
to the medical-pharmaceutical slaughterhouse of slash, poison and burn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">According to the US Department of Defense
Breast Cancer Research Program, an estimated 30% of all breast cancer cases
(both invasive and DCIS) are considered to be over diagnosed and over treated. Over
diagnosis is diagnosis of cancers that would not have presented within the life
of the patient. Overtreatment can occur in two ways—either in over diagnosis,
where any treatment is unnecessary, or with the administration of more<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>aggressive therapies than is necessary.
It has recently been estimated that one to three deaths from overtreatment
occur for every one breast cancer death avoided.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite
the PBCN’s concerns submitted during Public Hearings to both Houses of Congress
since 2010, government has not taken any concrete action to curtail the most
common form of cancer that has caused tremendous misery, sufferings and untimely
deaths to thousands of women –young or old, rich or poor, learned or unlearned,
with or without child, Christian or Muslim, urban or rural. Instead, the
Department of Health and PhilHealth have even embarked on programs that have
even worsened the breast cancer crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
May 2011, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Cancer Society
launched a medicine access program through a patient navigation scheme
targeting indigent women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Health
Secretary Ona said that cancer is a costly disease, with the cost of medicines
and treatment way out of reach for many of our people. The scheme would provide
medicine entitlements to poor and vulnerable sectors for priority disease such
as cancer. Has the Senate ever looked into the progress or failure of this
program? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
July 2012, Philhealth launched the Z Benefit Package, providing for P100,000
for the entire treatment for early breast cancer. But in reality, PhilHealth
members prefer going to private hospitals rather than any government hospital.
Majority of patients in government
hospitals seek free medical treatment but are not PhilHealth members. Has the
Senate ever reviewed the progress or failure of this program?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Participating
in above-mentioned breast cancer treatment programs were the East Avenue
Medical Center (EAMC), the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMMC), the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and the Rizal Medical Center. PhilHealth also
includes contracted government hospitals in each region. Has the Senate ever made
an investigation on the success or failure rates of all these hospitals in
their respective treatment of breast cancer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Without
knowing and validating diagnostic and treatment success or failure rates, this
August Body is now intending to fund another “white elephant” in supposedly
addressing a known environmental disease? Despite the fact that Philhealth has
a gigantic reserve fund of Php117 Billion to fund the Z Benefit Package, why
does SBN 1873 want to allocate additional funds? Is this another Napoles scam in the making in
the guise of addressing a public health crisis by exploiting breast cancer? Or
is this another diversion of funds for the coming presidential elections,
similar to when PhilHealth spent a large amount for TV Ads for the former PGMA
in the 2004 elections?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Going
back to PhilHealth’s Z Benefit Package for breast cancer:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
are patients diagnosed with breast cancer? By mammograms? Is the Senate
Committee on Health aware that mammography is now under extreme doubt as to
whether it is truly reliable and whether mammography has significantly saved
lives? Very recent studies, most notable of which was the 25 Year Canadian
Study which concluded that annual mammography in women aged 40-59 does not reduce mortality from breast cancer and 22%
of screen detected invasive breast cancers were over-diagnosed. In a 10 year German study, it showed that
mammography did more harm and had negligible benefits. The Swiss Medical Board acknowledged that there
was no evidence to suggest that overall mortality was affected while
emphasizing the harm of mammography — in
particular, false positive test results and the risk of over diagnosis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
is PhilHealth’s definition of Early Stage Breast Cancer because in its selection
criteria were stated Stage 0 up to– Stage 3A?
It seems PhilHealth does not even know what early stage breast cancer
is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
are the safeguards against over diagnosis and over treatment? Many cases are of the DCIS type (Ductal
Carcinoma In Situ) which is non-invasive and when<span style="color: #333333;">
left untreated, will in many cases not develop into a life-threatening disease. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why are only
specific chemo drugs included in the list? Is it because they are the most
effective, the cheapest or the only ones available? Worst of all is if these particular
drugs are in need of human experiment or about to be phased out! For example, Avastin was approved by the
USFDA for metastatic breast cancer in 2004 only to be revoked in 2011because <span style="background: white; color: #252525;">there was no evidence that it extended
life or improved quality of life while causing severe adverse reactions.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
would be the standard treatment since medical institutions vary in their respective approaches to breast cancer? For
the same breast cancer patient, opinions vary between surgeons and oncologists
and between surgeons themselves and oncologists themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So why then will
all the above mentioned Senate Bills be enacted and funded when it is very
clear that more harm than good will happen? It is imperative that our Senators
conduct a deeper inquiry on WHY our country has a breast cancer epidemic and
what must be legislated to truly address this public health crisis – not by
seeking a cure but focusing on the environmental causes of breast cancer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Presently
severely tarnished by the pork barrel, the Senate can possibly redeem itself by enacting laws to protect all women
from the scourge of breast cancer, a few of which are the following which will not
cost a centavo:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">STOP mandatory annual chest
x-rays for all government employees and make it optional for companies and
schools during pre-employment and pre-enrollment. This alone will drastically
reduce breast cancer because all women regardless of health status are being
unnecessary exposed regularly to at least 1,000 millirads of radiation.</span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">STOP the use of hormonal contraceptives in its
population control program because breast cancer is a hormonal disease. Women
will not be placed at risk of breast cancer when the use of other methods such
as condoms and rhythm method are encouraged instead. </span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">STOP operations of air-water-soil
contaminating industries regardless of environmental clearances - specially
identified mining operations that continue to spill cyanide and mercury in the
waterways of our country.</span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">STOP
the use of triclosan and parabens in all productions of various<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>cosmetics and bath soaps/shampoos
among other common consumer products. A Safety Chemical Act needs to be
legislated to keep our people healthy and not be at risk of developing<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>cancer from these identified
carcinogenic substances.</span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Danny Meneses</span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> President</span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Philippine Breast Cancer Network</span></div>
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<u><a href="http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/eradicate-breast-cancer.html">SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION</a> </u> now to junk all pending Senate Bills on Breast Cancer. We can no longer be silent!<br />
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-15538479030951129132014-05-12T20:14:00.002-07:002014-05-12T20:38:25.588-07:00Breast Cancer and the Philippine SenateIn several occasions in the past years, the PBCN had attended Congressional and Senate public hearings on proposed legislative bills on breast cancer. In all of them, focus was on early detection by annual mammograms. The PBCN always submitted its position against mammography and instead proposed efforts to address this public health epidemic with prevention actions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYq3WHz41IkkSo4DuqSfbZxfigBLPWetR62DywdocKg2VZYmFUGTQnPcf5HlNfPzo-mwfUMLhSDZ5v1Vr-6d_7pB0Bqxw7GXJPW3svCbJe6iBVuHjk1NE0_dF8rHrFzTKqjYdHx8doL3Q/s1600/SBN+13th+Congress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYq3WHz41IkkSo4DuqSfbZxfigBLPWetR62DywdocKg2VZYmFUGTQnPcf5HlNfPzo-mwfUMLhSDZ5v1Vr-6d_7pB0Bqxw7GXJPW3svCbJe6iBVuHjk1NE0_dF8rHrFzTKqjYdHx8doL3Q/s1600/SBN+13th+Congress.jpg" height="171" width="320" /></a>As can be seen in the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Congress, all proposed Senate Bills carried a medical perspective and upon further study, were actually lifted from similar bills proposed in the US Senate.<br />
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SBN 2019 of Sen. Santiago was on the hospitalization of women medically with breast cancer but who have health plans.<br />
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In the 14th Congress, SBN's 2017 of Sen. Santiago, SBN 1815 of Sen. Villar and SBN 78 of Sen. Legarda were all focused on mammography and early detection.<br />
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SBN 3071 of Sen. Trillanes was about breast cancer benefits in Philhealth's coverage of its members.<br />
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SBN 1784 was for the enactment of Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 in continuation of her SBN 2019.<br />
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For the 15th Congress, SBN 1399, SBN 1110 and SBN 189 were for the enactments of previous bills proposed by Senators Legarda, Villar and Trillanes.<br />
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It was during this period that the PBCN attended a public hearing and submitted its position while voicing out its strong view on the matter of early detection and vehemently questioned the medical perspective on breast cancer, while urging government to look into and act on the environmental causes of the disease.<br />
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In the current 16th Congress, the Senate is about to enact the Breast Cancer Patient Education Act by Sen. Santiago, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Potection Act by Sen. Trillanes and the Breast Cancer Detection Act of 2013 by Sen. Legarda. <br />
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All these acts will not only result into the furtherance of a public health epidemic beause of overdiagnosis and overtreatment but worse, will not stop our women from getting breast cancer. The Philippines has had the highest increase of breast cancer incidence worldwide for the past 30 years and yet nothing is being done to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer.<br />
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The most recent studies in North America and Europe have already confirmed what the PBCN has long been saying about mammography and early detection. Yet our "well-meaning" Senators have either refused or have been coerced by the multi-billion medical-pharmaceutical industry not to act in favor of our people.<br />
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The Senate Committee on Health chaired by Sen. Guingona has scheduled another public hearing on breast cancer this May 20th 2014 and the method by which the PBCN was being invited was very much insulting. Without any previous communication, they called to simply ask if the PBCN would be interested to attend. Attend what? Another circus of totally uniformed Senators on the true issues on breast cancer?<br />
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The PBCN still hopes for a courageous Senator who will truly champion the welfare and interests of our people! That of eliminating the environmental causes of this public health epidemic that chooses no one regardless of economic or social status. Breast Cancer does NOT have to happen! danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-41015826472709268112014-04-16T04:23:00.000-07:002014-11-03T19:43:15.713-08:00Posters of Philippine Breast Cancer Network<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-45832850485471681792014-03-30T19:18:00.001-07:002014-04-18T20:48:34.436-07:00The Philippines has a breast cancer epidemic<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0B0ibpFD7fQ" width="480"></iframe>danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-1624533752363560952014-03-04T05:36:00.001-08:002014-03-22T17:10:47.354-07:00Big trees and breast cancer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7YrbLfCmmpebFEllbW7YtA0KqORnz-ccFEfbEDRHh5PdRuhGt1gXPCM-aSS9-tQSJiLHluiiA8bQHxrMS0AqEgUHl6igLXXREQH0zcDWTRDBDHnBvybQLTy7cL4zfuJDE88-_n90PKw/s1600/Calaveras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7YrbLfCmmpebFEllbW7YtA0KqORnz-ccFEfbEDRHh5PdRuhGt1gXPCM-aSS9-tQSJiLHluiiA8bQHxrMS0AqEgUHl6igLXXREQH0zcDWTRDBDHnBvybQLTy7cL4zfuJDE88-_n90PKw/s1600/Calaveras.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometime in September 2013, I was brought by two sisters and a brother-in-law of mine to the North Grove Trail of the 26 sq km Calaveras Big Trees State Park in Arnold, California. Our mother had just succumbed to cancer and they brought me around before I headed back home to the Philippines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wonder and miracle of nature can not but occupy one's mind in the midst of these big trees. For me, it furthered my comprehension of nature's most often disregarded miraculous healing process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giant sequoias (also known as Sierra redwoods) are said to be the largest living things to exist on earth. Their fossil record dates back 180 million years to the age of the dinosaurs when these trees could live over 3,000 years. They grow as tall as 90 meters high and as wide as 17 meters in diameter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giant sequoias evolved in the presence of fire; they have not only adopted to it, but depend on it in several ways. Heat from fire causes the cones to open and release their seeds. Fire clears the ground of duff, litter and brush, so the tiny seeds can reach mineral soil and receive plenty of sunshine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thick bark does not burn easily and it would take a large fire with enough heat for the bark to burn. And when this happens, nature's process of healing itself takes place when a new bark grows over the burned wood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A tree that has lived 2,000 years may have survived more than 100 fires because of their thick protective bark.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, in the southern <a href="http://themindunleashed.org/2014/03/3200-year-old-tree-massive-never-captured-single-image-now.html">Sierra Nevada</a> east of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visalia,_California" style="background-image: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Visalia, California"><span style="color: black;">Visalia, California</span></a> is the <span style="background-color: transparent;">Sequoia National Park which</span> spans more than 1,600 sq km. This park (60 times the size of Calaveras) is famous<span style="background-color: transparent;"> for having </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">five out of the ten largest trees in the world inclu</span>ding the <span style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Sherman_(tree)" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; text-decoration: none;" title="General Sherman (tree)"><span style="color: black;">General Sherman tree</span></a> </span>which by volume</span>, is the largest known living single stem tree on earth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I couldn't help but relate a woman's reproductive health system to that of these magnificent tress, specifically breast cancer. These trees have a <b>natural immune system</b> that has allowed themselves to survive so many years with self-repair and self-healing mechanisms. Only by securing a safe and uncontaminated natural environment can these trees be prevented from acquiring illnesses and disease. And so too with women's health and reproductive system. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadyvsAWLa08fGkp7DtOE2tksrMXHRCi7c9pfcmj_TahabiT6N3U9hi98PBC7aUZPcRnAkHpf2demQ5dukZ_ofqZAxICfDiJ8I4o-g3SGWeYKLevBzJSyOo_7VJEAhk41t320-GTDBDjM/s1600/DSCF0949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadyvsAWLa08fGkp7DtOE2tksrMXHRCi7c9pfcmj_TahabiT6N3U9hi98PBC7aUZPcRnAkHpf2demQ5dukZ_ofqZAxICfDiJ8I4o-g3SGWeYKLevBzJSyOo_7VJEAhk41t320-GTDBDjM/s1600/DSCF0949.JPG" height="236" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the 1850's, the largest tree in the North Grove was felled by ambitious speculators. Had it been allowed to grow, it may have rivaled the largest of the giant sequoias. Such destruction of nature continues to this very day in the Philippines where breast cancer is a public health epidemic.</span><br />
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<b>Every woman who dies from breast cancer is said to have been robbed of 20 years of her life.</b> This fallen tree symbolized for me the numerous unnecessary mastectomies done on women - chopping off breasts prior to chemotherapy and radiation. The incidence of overdiagnosis and overtreatment has even been institutionalized by health insurance which does not support natural approaches in breast cancer treatment.</span><br />
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Only when government and society realize and address t<span style="line-height: 14.35200023651123px;">he real causes of the rising incidence of breast cancer - the ignored environmental and occupational risk factors of the disease, can <a href="http://www.poetry-archive.com/k/trees.html">Joyce Kilmer's</a> famous poem then be likened to a woman. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Freedom from Breast Cancer!</span></b></td></tr>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-21798383541045133942014-02-16T20:33:00.000-08:002014-03-15T22:27:18.462-07:00Philippine Media black out on the 25 Year Canadian Study on Mammography<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">There
seems to be a total media silence in the Philippines on significant
studies on breast cancer published by two internationally reputable
medical journals. Considering that our country has a breast cancer
epidemic and loud pronouncements by the Department of Health, medical
organizations and various hospital based breast cancer support
groups, a search on mammography in the websites of major news
networks showed disheartening results. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">This
validates the high degree of influence of the medical-pharmaceutical
industry on local media which does not only misinform but even keeps
the general public ignorant on the most dreaded disease of all women.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUehOWqcunEg61QcG-VqPv0nvfQyebE33wlxId6N_DXcNBZIvgLFv9qm_dtyTyuyN6BmLdiT6f8WMbDdfAqI6ZCFOVLw4Mw1MuXEIyh_KkC-pYp524vvupv1x8J_Estu5gAWHi8Eid4es/s1600/BC+Worldwide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUehOWqcunEg61QcG-VqPv0nvfQyebE33wlxId6N_DXcNBZIvgLFv9qm_dtyTyuyN6BmLdiT6f8WMbDdfAqI6ZCFOVLw4Mw1MuXEIyh_KkC-pYp524vvupv1x8J_Estu5gAWHi8Eid4es/s1600/BC+Worldwide.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The
<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)61351-2/fulltext">Lancet</a> </b></span></span><span style="color: black;">published
in 22 October 2011 an article entitled, “</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Breast
and cervical cancer in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010: a
systematic analysis.</b></span></span><span style="color: black;">”
According to the article, g</span><span style="color: black;">lobal
breast cancer incidence increased from 641,000 cases in 1980 to
1,643,000 cases in 2010, </span><span style="color: black;">at
</span><span style="color: black;">an
annual rate of increase of 3.1% </span><span style="color: black;">and
killed </span><span style="color: black;">425,000
women in 2010, of whom 68,000 were aged 15-49 years in developing
countries. </span><span style="color: black;">In
the Philippines, 1 in 13 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime
with our country registering the highest increase </span><span style="color: black;">worldwide
</span><span style="color: black;">of
589% in a 30 year period.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<h1 class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
</h1>
<h1 class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNmLiGVj3C6hu9_6ZkjPBf6N4ocK3AkwfqgNEMle-veWeW59bd1qXSQpfW0bqDebDy4bRoklKZSc4wKYm7y7aDJMSwZZ6rbBZwtycIOd2GxxWl3WPvYH1G3HzDukSaneG75FB_Ay08zA/s1600/25+yr+study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNmLiGVj3C6hu9_6ZkjPBf6N4ocK3AkwfqgNEMle-veWeW59bd1qXSQpfW0bqDebDy4bRoklKZSc4wKYm7y7aDJMSwZZ6rbBZwtycIOd2GxxWl3WPvYH1G3HzDukSaneG75FB_Ay08zA/s1600/25+yr+study.jpg" height="400" width="330" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><h1 class="western" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></h1>
<h1 class="western" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></h1>
<h1 class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Twenty
eight months later, t</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">he</span></span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g366">British Medical Journal</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">published
just last 11 February 2014 a research entitled, </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Twenty
five year follow-up for breast cancer incidence and mortality of the
Canadian National Breast Screening Study: randomi</span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;">z</span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;">ed
screening trial</span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.”
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
research involved </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">89,835
participants aged 40 -59 </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">and
concluded that a</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.15in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">nnual
mammography in women aged 40-59 does not reduce mortality from breast
cancer 22% of screen detected invasive breast cancers were
over-diagnosed, representing one over-diagnosed breast cancer for
every 424 women who received mammography screening in the trial. </span></span></span></h1>
</span></span></span></h1>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Following
are the most recent search results on mammography from 8</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;">selected
media (online, Television and print) </span><span style="color: black;">where
t</span><span style="color: black;">he
</span><span style="color: black;">country's
</span><span style="color: black;">leading
newspaper's latest was even 4 years ago written by a do</span><span style="color: black;">ctor
based in Cebu. Another doctor's article on his hospital's mammography
was the latest item of a TV network. The country's leading television
network was about a company's upgrade of its mammogram units while
another newspaper showed in its business page the acquisition of
hospital while another news daily was abut a hospital's modern mammography. Only </span><span style="color: black;">an
</span><span style="color: black;">internet
based </span><span style="color: black;">news
network mentioned the Canadian Study but only in reference to having
both breasts removed as having better survival. </span><span style="color: black;">The
remaining two simply had items from Reuters on how important
mammography is. Note the dates of each article.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.15in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.16in; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/life-health/50313-double-mastectomy-higher-survival-breast-cancer"><b>Rappler</b></a> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.16in;">12 February 2014 : Women
diagnosed with breast cancer caused by a notorious gene have a much
better survival chance if they have both breasts removed instead of
one, a study said. Another study in the same
journal, meanwhile, cast doubt on the value of annual mammogram
screening of women aged 40 to 59. It is the latest evidence in a
long-running debate about the usefulness of a costly procedure that
sometimes results in over-diagnosis – the discovery (and treatment)
of cancers that would never have caused symptoms or death during a
woman's lifetime.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.16in;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.16in; margin-bottom: 0.13in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.31in;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.mb.com.ph/health-mammogram-screenings/">Manila Bulletin</a></b> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.31in;"><span style="font-size: small;">31 December 2013 : </span></span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 0.31in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.2in;">Women
should have a mammogram – an X-ray of the breast tissue scanning
for early signs of cancer -every two years between ages 50 and 74,
according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. </span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0.13in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small; line-height: 0.19in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background: #ffffff;"><a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/12/13/13/how-philips-restored-profit-rediscovering-relevance"><b>ABS-CBN News</b></a> 16 December 2013 : La</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.19in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">st
year, Philips agreed a partnership with Abu Dhabi's new, 196-bed Burjeel
Hospital to supply, install, maintain and upgrade medical equipment
including MRI and CT scanners, digital mammography units and
ultrasound machines.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: 0.05in; margin-top: 0.05in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><a href="http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/10/25/metropac-completes-tarlac-hospital-deal/"><b>Manila Standard Today</b></a> 25 October 2013 : </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;">The
latest acquisition increased Metro Pacific’s total hospital bed
capacity to 2,137 beds. The hospital will construct a new four-story
building, which would be completed by early 2015. The building will
house the most advanced diagnostic imaging center in the province,
with initially a 64-slice CT scan and digital x-ray machines, and
eventually a 1.5 Tesla MRI and a digital mammography machine. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: 0.05in; margin-top: 0.05in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><a href="http://www.interaksyon.com/lifestyle/healthy-living-breast-pain-and-lumps-what-you-need-to-know-and-do">TV5 InterAksyon News</a> </b></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">02</span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> October 2013 : </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #f6f6f6;">Manila
Doctors Hospital (MDH) offers the latest digital mammography services
should your surgeon requests you to have one. With the digital
mammography, images and results are readily available. Brightness,
darkness, or contrast of photos can be adjusted and sections of an
image can be magnified after the mammogram is completed, making it
easier to see subtle differences between tissues. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/299902/lifestyle/healthandwellness/less-frequent-mammograms-don-t-increase-risks-after-age-50-study">GMA News</a> </b></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">19 March 2013</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;"> : </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;">In
the latest installment in the mammogram debate, a new study finds
that getting a mammogram every other year instead of annually did not
increase the risk of ad</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;">vanced breast cancer in women aged 50 to 74,
even in women who use hormone therapy or have dense breasts, factors
that increase a woman's cancer risk. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 110%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<b style="line-height: 17.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.philstar.com/science-and-technology/805045/moms-encouraged-take-almost-painless-mammography-exam">Philippine Star</a></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">12 May 2012 : </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.679624557495117px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Doctors encourage women to undergo annual mammography tests because the Philippine Cancer Society reports that breast cancer is now the leading cause of death among women.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.15in;"><b><a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/opinion/view/20100118-248002/Mammogram-controversy">Philippine Daily Inquirer</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.15in;">18 January 2010 : </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 0.22in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">If
the new guidelines are officially adopted, women who are younger than
50 opting to have a screening mammogram will not be covered by their
health insurance. They advocate the return to the former
guidelines: annual screening starting at age 40, and starting at age
30 (or earlier) for higher risk women.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.22in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Correlating
the 30 year incidence study and the 25 year research on mammography
with media's </span><span style="color: black;">indifference</span><span style="color: black;">
on the breast cancer epidemic in the Philippines, </span><span style="color: black;">places
a gigantic burden on the PBCN in its advocacy. Only by massive public
awareness can this silence end. The PBCN continues to seek a staunch
and fearless ally in the national government to seriously address
this pressing situation.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"> </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0.21in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><br />
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="title" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div>
</div>
</div>
danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-62016406930825072132014-02-09T18:52:00.000-08:002014-03-04T07:39:59.067-08:002014 World Cancer Marketing Day<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>"The
greatest risk of getting breast cancer tomorrow is being born today
in a developing country. The greatest risk of not surviving
breast cancer today is being a woman in the Philippines." - </b>Rosa Francia Meneses, 1999 World Conference on Breast Cancer</span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">The
primary goal of the World Cancer Day on February 4</span><span style="color: black;">th</span><span style="color: black;">
is the </span><span style="color: black;">significant
reduction of death and illness caused by cancer by the year 2025.
Previously set to 2020, the organizers led by </span><span style="color: black;">the
</span><span style="color: black;">Union
for International Cancer Control (UICC) will always extend the
deadline because cancer is an incurable disease.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJi1uUQjOiLsxUXf1kpV6BAIAQcRIYz7PeDODgAubzLeLNR9O7vltdWj_DC8Gm1JEx0LMrBBmNJWrHp0yAjkfgJL971Y1x55PSJu5J4kbJ0qNsJHpR0-BS0WosX00wow0eRDiFXjEumI/s1600/WCD+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJi1uUQjOiLsxUXf1kpV6BAIAQcRIYz7PeDODgAubzLeLNR9O7vltdWj_DC8Gm1JEx0LMrBBmNJWrHp0yAjkfgJL971Y1x55PSJu5J4kbJ0qNsJHpR0-BS0WosX00wow0eRDiFXjEumI/s1600/WCD+1.jpg" height="200" width="148" /></a><span style="color: black;">C</span><span style="color: black;">onsidering
that UICC was founded 80 years ago when cancer was not yet a
prevalent disease, it would be interesting to know how such an
organization can possibly exist for such a long period and now come
up with a most overarching goal. In the world cancer day's website,
one is even asked to sign up for a “cancer free world!” </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.worldcancerday.org/"><span style="color: blue;"></span></a></u></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">During
the 2002 World Conference on Breast Cancer in Victoria, B.C., I was
accosted by a Berkeley Professor for the PBCN handouts which stated
“Stop Breast Cancer!” Short of saying that I was out of my mind,
he categorically stated it will never happen. The global movement for
the eradication of breast cancer, of which the Philippine Breast
Cancer Network is a part of, carries a patient's perspective as
opposed to the medical point of view. In this regard, our advocacy is
much, much bolder than that of the UICC. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQSW9QtzCnq3GNrePaVUEMuGiFDu0EVu1jLbnHniHOaBu_t6bfxy0n0wpIXnfhkBevhBWSdTo0ZrQUl8w9peZY-978oqy6ANh4zA0G5MnkzGVjPkS1flLuO1e-HgYi3MbcivRxElsOII/s1600/WCD+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQSW9QtzCnq3GNrePaVUEMuGiFDu0EVu1jLbnHniHOaBu_t6bfxy0n0wpIXnfhkBevhBWSdTo0ZrQUl8w9peZY-978oqy6ANh4zA0G5MnkzGVjPkS1flLuO1e-HgYi3MbcivRxElsOII/s1600/WCD+2.jpg" height="320" width="266" /></a><span style="color: black;">T</span><span style="color: black;">he
UICC will never have in its Board of Directors, well respected
</span><span style="color: black;">doctors
and scientists</span><span style="color: black;">
who </span><span style="color: black;">will
not </span><span style="color: black;">tow
the line of the pharmaceutical industry. Supporters of the UICC
include AMGEN, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer,
Bayer, Novartis, Sanofi and MSD. Would anyone ever think that the
UICC would ever bite the hand that feeds it? Rather, it would serve
themselves to nurture a lucrative cancer market! </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u></u></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">Early
2012, a cancer stake-holders consultative meeting was held under the
wings of the UICC. Just like the World Cancer Day which sounds and
looks good, it didn't smell nice. They will forever push lifestyle
and pharma but never touch on the environment.<a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2012/06/cancer-meetings-that-look-good-but.html">Cancer meetings that look good but smell bad!</a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">Even
the Department of Health has no standing program on cancer which is
not </span><span style="color: black;">even
</span><span style="color: black;">listed
in its disease surveillance because for the </span><span style="font-size: small;">DOH,
cancer not a disease that needs to be seriously addressed. Looking
back, all their past programs on breast cancer have failed miserably
from the time it embarked 20 years ago to reduce the incidence rate
of breast cancer in the country. </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u></u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYsMYnwTIffCtBmc6ctf-HrBrZQui6-rPsbEPSs0nE-DyRDwKDORhEALb79rSnrRqkCO5RpDBQ46GQjDI_bHC991odVa8cMCAMHZMjOSS4B7CpwVRh5v88VFUFFJ07Uf7p8PVtptNZeI/s1600/WCD+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYsMYnwTIffCtBmc6ctf-HrBrZQui6-rPsbEPSs0nE-DyRDwKDORhEALb79rSnrRqkCO5RpDBQ46GQjDI_bHC991odVa8cMCAMHZMjOSS4B7CpwVRh5v88VFUFFJ07Uf7p8PVtptNZeI/s1600/WCD+3.jpg" height="130" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qfuEdoehwFP4pob0C4rhgdp4bYX-8UwZRsH43VYzTph3dD4xa6tf8sRJ_uxtIeCPS_02Av-G7eZLhfvr4Vc-z6CkDEQmC8VvgGGMWfOF2yWdpnr-Md5keJIxnuBMQzXeXtgwuleoHM0/s1600/WCD+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qfuEdoehwFP4pob0C4rhgdp4bYX-8UwZRsH43VYzTph3dD4xa6tf8sRJ_uxtIeCPS_02Av-G7eZLhfvr4Vc-z6CkDEQmC8VvgGGMWfOF2yWdpnr-Md5keJIxnuBMQzXeXtgwuleoHM0/s1600/WCD+5.jpg" height="94" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFE5bPj1M7cPrOv3aWwckKqcCnYNE3y9lYzKXBVkZom1VTZ0KN2LTnmwV__PsjvPG4fUhZGaAhdi5hrffJ4_xoSRlvvPWnMB_zAY4vLYONplsMcMcD8kVV0HeaduuYYdK_nheUOQdrIg8/s1600/WCD+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFE5bPj1M7cPrOv3aWwckKqcCnYNE3y9lYzKXBVkZom1VTZ0KN2LTnmwV__PsjvPG4fUhZGaAhdi5hrffJ4_xoSRlvvPWnMB_zAY4vLYONplsMcMcD8kVV0HeaduuYYdK_nheUOQdrIg8/s1600/WCD+4.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black;">All
it can offer is the Medicines Access Program of DOH-NCPAM which
caters to the medicinal needs of patients who cannot afford treatment
for Breast Cancer Stage I-IIIA Patients through the Philippine Cancer
Society. Try availing of this. <a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2011/09/another-breast-cancer-program-to-surely.html">Another breast cancer program to surely fail.</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Then,
under its Z Benefit Package, PhilHealth announced in 2012 that it
would provide to its members P100,000.00 for the treatment of breast
cancer (stage 0 to IIIA)</span><span style="color: #666666;">.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>In reaction to this, I warned PhilHealth of the <a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2012/06/over-diagnosis-and-over-treatment-of.html">over diagnosis and over treatment of breast cancer.</a> Yet
now, the Pre-Authorization checklist for breast cancer is no where to
be found in the website of PhilHealth! Was it scrapped just a few
years after it was offered to its members? If so, why?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrT6oMbWJmkSmZjZBFZ3lHZIQMdFNkgedjOoebBUrwi4ZG7BRMXPK7Q0cCEuWukHq0RTQK4oq48LNy9c10jMNmPrCsvmOo6y3369R_FxNIDpw5R_zqIjhlBgESwe1otj98NMY4rKSIWs4/s1600/WCD+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrT6oMbWJmkSmZjZBFZ3lHZIQMdFNkgedjOoebBUrwi4ZG7BRMXPK7Q0cCEuWukHq0RTQK4oq48LNy9c10jMNmPrCsvmOo6y3369R_FxNIDpw5R_zqIjhlBgESwe1otj98NMY4rKSIWs4/s1600/WCD+6.jpg" height="168" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">Patients
are</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">
the major stakeholder and </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">they
must be at the center</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">
of all decision making. Women do not want to have breast cancer yet
they are being led to believe that with early detection, there is a
cure. So </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">are</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">
women being </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">made</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">
to have annual cancer causing mammograms? Prevention is knowing and
avoiding identified environmental carcinogens. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">The
World Cancer Declaration</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">'s
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">Target
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">#
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">3
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">states</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">:
"To r</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">educe
exposure to cancer risk factors." If they really mean on having
a world free of cancer, you do not reduce but eliminate known
environmental causes of breast cancer! The incidence rate of breast
cancer worldwide has nearly tripled since 1980 and will certainly be
a "run away train" in the years to come. In our country, <a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2011/09/1-in-13-filipino-women-will-get-breast.html">1 in 13 Filipino women will get breast cancer.</a></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;">One
of </span><span style="color: black;">the Global
Advocacy Messages </span><span style="color: black;">states,
“</span><span style="color: black;">That the success
of early detection programs can be measured by a reduction in the
stage of the cancer at diagnosis with earlier diagnosis associated
with a reduction in the risk of dying</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">from
cancer."</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">It
takes 5 to 10 years before the first symptoms of breast cancer are
manifested. How </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">then
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">can
there ever be early detection? So all women must undergo annual
mammograms year in and year out until one day they are told that they
already have breast cancer? Will all women starting at age of puberty
be periodically screened for breast cancer? Will women with early
diagnosis, even </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">of
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">the
non-invasive type be made to lose their breasts </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">a</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">nd
later submit to chemotherapy just to </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">supposedly
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">make
sure she is said to be cancer-free and cured? How I wish it were as
simple as that! </span></span></span>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17bxa0FM_OmV7LcUyTbEIXDkdhEVGxCUlNC89JGceO-3L3jxY9CNl9lwNi8_twuMt6c-sw5u0Y2CrtDbLdUyh4G1lAbUcIFAsTgdyQpKvPHt2bfIoLR_gPYVLramiehDhoOYIfXaXT-E/s1600/WCD+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17bxa0FM_OmV7LcUyTbEIXDkdhEVGxCUlNC89JGceO-3L3jxY9CNl9lwNi8_twuMt6c-sw5u0Y2CrtDbLdUyh4G1lAbUcIFAsTgdyQpKvPHt2bfIoLR_gPYVLramiehDhoOYIfXaXT-E/s1600/WCD+7.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">And
now, the Philippine Medical Associatio</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">n
(PMA) is calling for the return of local public hospitals and health
centers to the control of the Department of Health (DOH) because
local government units (LGUs) have failed to adequately provide
quality health services to the people. The shortage of 930,000
doctors was even cited. Unfortunately, as I had earlier shown, the
DOH can not or will not truly act on the cancer epidemic, except to
banner pink ribbons and support pharmaceutical initiatives. </span></span></span>The
solution lies not in having so many doctors but in having lesser
patients!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Yes, the World Cancer Day is one huge marketing event of
the cancer industry – just like the breast cancer month </span><span style="font-size: small;">every
</span><span style="font-size: small;">October. </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">I
would like to refer to </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">a
parable about saving babies from drowning in a river. All </span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">heroic
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">efforts
were focused downstream until one asked "</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="color: black;">who’s
throwing all of these babies into the river in the first place!"
To truly end breast cancer, we must look upstream and stop the cause.
</span></span></span>
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<br /></div>
danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-12931090765987449692013-10-30T04:46:00.001-07:002013-10-30T20:42:41.660-07:00On natural supplements and breast cancerIn bold prints are my comments on the newspaper article of the Oct 28th issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer about the press conference sponsored by the PSMO (Philippine Society of Medical Oncologists) called "Dietary Supplements in Cancer Treatment."<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">A well-informed cancer patient is an empowered patient. But the
barrage of often-conflicting information sourced from the Internet can be
overwhelming, and deciding which to believe can be paralyzing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>ON THE CONTRARY, CYBER INFORMATION HAS OPENED THE DOORS THAT WERE
PREVIOUSLY CONFINED TO THE MEDICAL & SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND HAS NOW ALLOWED
THE PRINCIPAL STAKEHOLDERS TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN SEEKING THE TRUTH!
PARALYZING FOR THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CANCER INDUSTRY BUT EMPOWERING FOR THE
GENERAL PUBLIC!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Green tea, malunggay oil, vitamin C, guyabano and even red wine are
believed to have properties that can cure cancer. How true are the claims?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“I am telling you right now, guyabano is not an anti-cancer
fruit,” said Dr. Ellie May Villegas, the feisty, petite vice president of the
Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>IT MAY NOT BE A TRULY ANTI-CANCER FRUIT BUT IF IT EVEN ACTS AS A
PLACEBO IN ADDRESSING NON-CANCEROUS SYMPTOMS, THEN WHY NOT? FURTHERMORE, IT CAN
DO NO HARM. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“We rely only on evidence. Guyabano is not proven to kill cancer
cells, and yet it is marketed as 10 times more potent than Adriamycin, a
commonly used drug in chemotherapy. Adriamycin is a very potent anti-cancer
drug. Why do you associate it with a fruit? They don’t even know what they’re
saying.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>NOT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF GUYABANO BUT INSTEAD OF SHOOTING IT DOWN,
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MUST BE DONE TO INVESTIGATE WHATEVER CURATIVE OR PREVENTIVE
BENEFITS WHATEVER FRUIT OR HERB HAVE, NO MATTER HOW MINIMAL.
BUT THEN, WHO WOULD FUND THE RESEARCH ON FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND HERBS WHEN
THESE ARE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC WHILE DRUGS ARE NOT!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Confusion</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">In a press conference sponsored by PSMO called “Dietary
Supplements in Cancer Treatment: Investigating the Claims,” Villegas said
guyabano, also called Brazilian pawpaw, is confused with the pawpaw tree
Asimina triloba (Annonaceae), known as the North American pawpaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">The Asimina triloba fruit, which in no way resembles the guyabano,
contains the natural compounds acetogenins that are proven to help regulate
various types of cancers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“When the North American pawpaw is taken with chemotherapy,
patients and physicians noticed an above average amount of tumor shrinkage
after the first treatment than normally expected with chemotherapy alone,” she
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/files/2013/10/t1029jambora-cancer_feat1_1.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PSMO PRESIDENT Dr. Felycette Gay
Lapus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Villegas was expressing concern over networking companies that
profit from making bogus claims about natural cures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>CONCERN MUST NOT BE ON PROFITS OF NETWORKING COMPANIES BUT ON THE
BENEFITS OF ANY SUPPLEMENT. TRUE THAT A LOT OF EXAGERATION IS DONE TO SELL
THESE SUPPLEMENTS BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT BUSINESS AND MARKETING IS ALL ABOUT!
EVEN SODA IS BEING ADVERTISED TO HAVE VITAMIN C!
IT MATTERS NOT IF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY RAKES UP BILLIONS OF
PROFITS FOR AS LONG AS THEIR DRUGS CAN CURE CANCER! </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">PSMO believes in the multidisciplinary approach: surgery,
radiation, chemotherapy and, when proven safe and effective, dietary
supplements to complement the treatment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“With the proliferation of scientifically unsupported alternative
cancer treatments, PSMO has established that there is a need to educate the
public on how to address the cancer problem. We put together a position paper
to help guide fellow oncologists, doctors and patients in making correct choices,”
said PSMO president Dr. Felycette Gay Lapus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>THE NEED IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE CAUSES OF BREAST CANCER
AND NOT ON SURGERY, CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIATION. THE MEDICAL APPROACH IS NOT
NECESSARILY THE CORRECT CHOICE. WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE PATIENT’S FULLY INFORMED
DECISION AND NOT THE DOCTOR'S. THIS IS THE REASON FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF
WHATEVER ANTI-CANCER SUPPLEMENTS – BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO GET CANCER AND
FOR THOSE AFFLICTED WITH CANCER, THE FEAR OF MEDICAL APPROACHES HAVE BEEN
MOUNTING DUE TO THE FAILURE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE TO CURE CANCER. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Scientific evidence</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">In a PowerPoint presentation, Villegas said commonly used
supplements not supported by high-level scientific evidence include homeopathic
products, high doses of oral multivitamin supplements, vitamin C + collagen,
high doses of oral vitamin C, oral stem cell enhancers/fibroblast growth factor
enhancers, ozone therapy (IV), and heavy metal chelation therapy that removes
heavy metal toxins supposed to cause cancer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“Randomized controlled trials in advanced cancer patients taking
10 grams per day of oral vitamin C did not demonstrate any significant
benefits. These can, in fact, interfere with the action of chemotherapy and
radiation therapy. That’s why we always advise our patients to tell us what
they’re taking,” Villegas said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>ON THE OTHER HAND, CHEMO AND RADIATION RENDERS NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS
USELESS! IN FACT, TO APPEASE PATIENTS IN COMPLYING WITH TOXIC AND INVASIVE
TREATMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS ARE BEING ALLOWED AS SUPPOSED COMPLIMENTARY MEASURES.
BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT CONVENTIONAL AND NON-CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES CANNOT EXIST ALONSIDE EACH OTHER. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Villegas said that metabolic therapies such as nutritional
therapies, Gerson Regimen, Kelley Therapy, Gonzalez Regimen, Contreras Therapy
and Manner Therapy—also known as detoxification/cleansing regimens—do not work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">They can even cause nutritional deficiencies, she said, while some
entail potentially toxic doses of supplements or agents. Coffee enemas, for
instance, can cause sepsis, dangerous electrolyte deficiencies, and even death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“The colon or large intestine is there for the stool to pass
through. Why do you have to clean an organ that is supposed to be dirty? It is
supposed to facilitate the removal of toxins via the stool. The American Cancer
Society strongly urges cancer patients not to seek treatment with metabolic
therapies. No published evidence supports their claims,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>UNFORTUNATELY, VILLEGAS IS HIGHLY UNINFORMED AND MISEDUCATED. HAD
SHE ATTENDED THE WORLD CONFERENCES ON BREAST CANCER IN CANADA SINCE 1997, SHE
WOULD HAVE NOT HAVE STOOD HER GROUND. IN FACT, THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY IS A
VERY POOR AND BIASED SOURCE OF INFORMATION. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" valign="bottom"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Lactic acidosis</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/files/2013/10/t1029jambora-cancer_feat1_2.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025"
type="#_x0000_t75" alt="http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/files/2013/10/t1029jambora-cancer_feat1_2-300x373.jpg"
href="http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/files/2013/10/t1029jambora-cancer_feat1_2.jpg"
style='width:164.25pt;height:204pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'
o:button="t">
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o:title="t1029jambora-cancer_feat1_2-300x373"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Commonly used supplements supported by very limited scientific
evidence, but not enough to suggest use, include transfer factor, malunggay
oil, intravenous hydrogen peroxide, mangosteen extract pills, guyabano extract
pills and resveratrol/grapeseed extract (provided they are not used with
Tamoxifen).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>AGAIN, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES WHICH ARE NOW
SLOWLY BUT SURELY ENTERING MEDICAL JOURNAL IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. THE
BREAST CANCER DRUG, AVASTIN CARRIED SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE WHEN IT WAS RELEASED
TO THE MARKET, ONLY TO BE PULLED OUT BY THE US FDA BECAUSE IT WAS LATER FOUND
TO BE INEFFECTIVE!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“We cannot promote malunggay oil to be used as an anticancer agent
because this has never been used on humans. What you can eat in a diet, eat it.
Do not put it in a capsule or tea,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>HUH? AND THE FOOD CAPSULES TAKEN BY ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE IS NOT
NUTRITIOUS? HELLO, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS FOOD TECHNOLOGY!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Severe lactic acidosis was reported with mangosteen juice daily
for 12 months, and patients eventually died not from their cancers, but from
the lactic acidosis from mangosteen, Villegas said. Mangosteen may also
interfere with certain chemotherapy drugs, and must be used with caution by
diabetics due to its high sugar content.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>AGAIN, VEGETABLE AND FRUIT JUICES ARE EVALUATED ON HOW THEY INTERFERE
WITH DRUGS! SO WHY ARE NATURAL FOODS VIEWED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CHEMO? BUT
OF COURSE, DIABETIC CASES HAVE RESTRICTED FOOD INTAKES – AND SO ALSO DO
HYPERTENSION, OBESITY, PREGNANCY AND ALL OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS! <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Resveratrol, which can be found in red wine, is also consumed as a
dietary supplement for its purported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“Because resveratrol exhibits estrogen-like properties and
activates transcription by both the estrogen and androgen receptors that lead
to stimulation of cancer cell proliferation, patients with hormone-sensitive
cancer should use it with caution,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>ALL SUPPLEMENTS JUST LIKE DRUGS ARE TAKEN FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE INDICATIONS
AND ACTIONS. THIS IS THE REASON WHY THERE CAN BE NO ONE SUPPLEMENT FOR ALL
INDICATIONS AND AILMENTS.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">It may also protect against chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity,
although more studies are needed to confirm its effect on humans, Villegas
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“I caution breast cancer patients taking Tamoxifen not to take
these supplements with resveratrol or grapeseed,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>DO NOT TAKE TAMOXIFEN IN THE VERY FIRST PLACE! TAMOXIFEN CAN EVEN
LEAD TO SECONDARY CANCERS!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Scientifically supported</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Among the commonly used supplements supported by high-level
scientific evidence are CoQ10 (decreases cardiotoxicity in Anthracycline
chemotherapy); R-alpha lipolic acid (decreases neuropathy); American ginseng,
rhodiola, ashwanga (decreases fatigue); calcium citrate/carbonate (bone
support); ferrous sulphate (anemia support); vitamin B12 (anemia support for
gastropathy and post-gastric resection in patients with B12 deficiency); whey
protein/L-glutamine and branched chain amino acids (protein support for
patients undergoing surgery); and polyglycoplex (viscuous fiber for patients
needing weight loss and modulation of body mass index).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">As for omega-3 fatty acids, although studies on their role in
cancer prevention are inconclusive, Villegas said, they may reduce colon cancer
risk, improve immune response in patients with colorectal cancer, and are
associated with reduced occurrence of renal cell carcinoma in women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Fish oil supplementation may reduce the risk of breast cancer, she
said, although high-blood concentration of omega-3 is associated with increased
risk of prostate cancer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Other commonly used supplements supported by high-level scientific
evidence include vitamin D, beta glucans, bio-available curcumin, green tea,
pomegranate, acetogenin molecules and bio-available silymarin phytosome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>SO NOW THERE ARE SUPPLEMENTS THAT ARE SCIENTIFICALLY SUPPORTED? OH
WELL, LET THE PUBLIC WAIT AND SUFFER UNTIL SCIENCE COMES TO THE PUBLIC’S RESCUE
WAITING FOR SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS IN CANCER CURE. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE CANCER, YOU
CAN NOT WAIT! ONE WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT ROUTE TO TAKE. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Safe, efficacious</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“We’re not saying no to supplements. We just want to direct
patients to those which work and how to safely combine them in a complementary
fashion with chemotherapy drugs in a safe and efficacious manner,” said Dr.
Omid Etemadi, a board-certified integrative medicine doctor who trained at the
National Cancer Institute in the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Etemadi said no supplement has been shown to cure cancer on its
own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>YES, NO SUPPLEMENT CAN CURE ON ITS OWN. AS A MATTER OF FACT, CANCER
HAS NO CURE. ONE THING FOR SURE THOUGH, CHEMOTHERAPY WILL MAKE MATTERS WORSE. AND BY THE WAY, TRAINING
IN THE US NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE DOES NOT MAKE ONE A GURU.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“There are anecdotal reports, case reports that patients have been
cured through very significant lifestyle changes, but these are very rare—more
the exception than the rule. More than 99.9 percent of them will not benefit
from diet and supplement alone,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>I BEG TO STRONGLY DISAGREE!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">He said surgery may cure stage 1 cancer, while surgery or
radiation with chemotherapy or targeted therapy may cure stage 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>IN MANY INSTANCES, STAGE 1 CANCER CAN DO EVEN WITHOUT SURGERY AND
WILL EVEN BE AGGRAVATED WITH RADIATION AND CHEMO.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“For stage 3 and 4, we prolong the lives of patients if we use
standard care. The cancer doesn’t completely regress, but it doesn’t grow
anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>PROLONG LIFE? MORE OF EITHER HASTEN DEATH OR PROLONG UNDUE SUFFERING.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">“Dietary supplements may help reduce the side effects of standard
care, may help survival rate and prevent cancer recurrence. But I would not
recommend that patients use them alone,” said Etemadi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; padding: 0in;"><b>SURGERY, CHEMOTHERAPY AND
RADIATION WILL NOT HELP SURVIVAL RATES NOR PREVENT RECURRENCE.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; padding: 0in;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; padding: 0in;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; padding: 0in;"><br />
<br />
Read more:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/133877/guyabano-and-supplements-alone-wont-beat-cancer-doctors-say#ixzz2jC2v5v00"><span style="border: none; color: #003399; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="border: none;">http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/133877/guyabano-and-supplements-alone-wont-beat-cancer-doctors-say#ixzz2jC2v5v00</span></span></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-88065440488647556942013-07-30T12:35:00.000-07:002013-07-30T15:23:40.543-07:00Angelina Jolie's Personal Choice<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #37404e;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><b>On May 15th, I was called by a major TV network inquiring if the
PBCN had a similar case like Angelina Jollie. When I replied that we
know of no cases of prophylactic mastectomy, the TV researcher then
asked if we knew of any scheduled case of mastectomy who they could
interview. I told her to best contact any major hospital because for
sure, they would have mastectomy cases. Then on May 21st, I was invited and accepted a live early morning TV interview to publicly air the PBCN's view on the matter. The entire TV staff and crew listened intently as I spoke and even another guest of the Department of Health promoting one of their many health programs kept nodding. Because of the public interest generated, I was interviewed live the next day over a radio program. Following were my main points:</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #37404e;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><br />1.
Breast removal for preventive purposes is not a guarantee or
assurance that breast cancer will be prevented. In fact this option
belongs to the age-old Halsted era when it was said by prominent
surgeons that to prevent breast cancer, it would be best to simply
remove the breasts of a female the moment she is born. "no
breast - no breast cancer." The truth is that breast cancer can
develop even without breasts because it is a hormonal disease that
does not exempt flat-breasted women or lesbians.<br /><br />2. In the
Philippine setting, most if not all females value and treasure their
breasts and in fact will not just agree to breast removals. Note that
majority of women place their hands on their chest whenever they bend
so as not to expose the cleavage of their breasts, wear shirts when
swimming and do not wear clothes which easily expose their breasts.
This cultural practice will withstand medical options for breast
removals just for preventive purposes.<br /><br />3. Regardless of
hereditary risk factors or genetic dispositions to breast cancer,
there are non-invasive options that are kinder that will not
permanently damage a woman's self-esteem - avoiding and eliminating
known environmental risk factors and causes of breast cancer!<br /><br />4.
Angelina Jollie does NOT represent the common woman NOR can she be
made an example to follow. Personalities remain to be media materials
and their individual choices or views can not and should not
influence the general public as being even close to the truth. Her
personal life does not even have to be discussed to see why she is
very far from being like you, your daughter, your sister or your
mother.</span></span></span>
</b></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #37404e;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #37404e;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><b>5. A woman with the stature of like Angelina can do anything with her body and still maintain her status and even increase her public image just as others have done - change the color of one's skin, tatoo one's entire body or even change gender. Definitely not the case with most women who live ordinary lives. And not every woman has a Brad Pitt by her side!</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #37404e;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><b>6. Lastly, my own wife was diagnosed with late stage breast cancer when our youngest daughter was only five years of age. Because it takes 5 to 10 years before the first symptoms of breast cancer are manifested, our daughter was definitely conceived when her mother already had breast cancer! Our daughter is genetically predisposed - in vitro! So does that mean that our daughter, now aged 18 will have to loose both her breasts to prevent her from getting the disease that took away her mother at an early age? NO WAY! There are other ways of preventing a woman from getting breast cancer no matter the genetic predisposition!</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #37404e;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #37404e;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Breast surgeon Shelley Hwang, MD, chief of breast surgery and
professor of surgery at Duke University Medical Center and Duke
Cancer Institute, who did not treat Jolie, when interviewed by WebMD stated the following salient points:</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="border: none; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0.1in; margin-top: 0.03in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Only
about 5% of all breast cancers are in women who have this genetic
mutation.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.17in;">2. Most breast cancer experts would agree that the choice is
really the patient's to make, and I really want to emphasize, it is a
choice.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.17in;">3. The
women who should absolutely consider genetic testing are those who themselves have
had a triple-negative breast cancer, the kind associated with BRCA
mutations, at an early age, under 45, people who have had both
ovarian and breast cancer in family members, and people who have
breast cancer in the family and are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.</span></h3>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-73144428636957489232013-03-03T22:34:00.000-08:002014-03-04T16:46:00.465-08:00Breast cancer does not have to happenMarch 3<sup>rd</sup> would have marked my 40<sup>th</sup>
year with Rosa who passed away in 2000, a month after her 48<sup>th</sup> birthday.
Rosa died 4 years after she was medically diagnosed with breast cancer at age 44.<br />
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That morning, I received the journal of a woman who died 10
years after her diagnosis of breast cancer at age 50. In the afternoon, I received
a call from a 41 year old woman whose breast tumor had already burst and was
seeking assistance. In one day, I faced two cases which I have become most
familiar with in my more that 15 years of breast cancer advocacy. Two different cases which mirror the unacceptable breast cancer epidemic situation in our country
today where one of 13 will get the disease within their lifetime.</div>
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The 1st woman had submitted herself to all medical
interventions at the Chinese General Hospital and total expenses reached a total of around P2 million pesos. The 2nd woman was so poor that she could not even afford a P3,000 biopsy at the East
Avenue Medical Center. Rosa however, did not submit to chemotherapy and radiation by choice.</div>
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The 1st woman wrote in her journal that her
medical breast exam a year before her diagnosis was just fine. The 2nd woman first noticed a breast lump 10 years before medical diagnosis. This brings forth what I have long been
saying that there really is no such thing as early detection because it takes 5
to 10 years before the first symptoms of breast cancer are manifested. Moreover,
80% of lumps are normal in the course of a woman’s reproductive life and not
all of the remaining 20% are necessarily a malignancy. Furthermore, not all malignancies
are of the aggressive type and this is will only be known after the fact.</div>
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During Rosa’s time, we had zero knowledge and understanding
of the disease and neither was thermal imaging available then. I am very sure that if the 1st woman had undergone thermal imaging a year before her diagnosis, a severe breast
abnormality would already have been seen as against her being told that all was
fine. She could have had the benefit of avoiding the harrowing experience of
chemotherapy. In her journal, she wrote that, “Chemotherapy was the most painful
treatment I experienced in my whole life”. </div>
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The 1st woman mentioned of how kind, gentle and
approachable her doctors were, especially that her surgeon was considered the “king”
among breast cancer surgeons. All I have
to say is that they have to be such because of how unkind and terrible their
treatments would be. The ill effects and irreversible damages done by invasive
and toxic procedures are known only afterwards. But because of the hope of
extending life, patients will “bite the bullet.” Unfortunately the often said “5-year survival
rate” is in the USA and not in the Philippines where I have observed to be much,
much lower. As far as the doctors were
concerned, she had already surpassed the 5-year period.</div>
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The 2nd woman went to the provincial hospital in
Sta Cruz, Laguna more than 10 years after she her lump first surfaced. She was then
referred to the East Avenue Medical Center but could not afford treatment, no
matter how negligible the costs. Her breast has now worsened because she did
not do anything at all – but, she is "staying alive" without medical intervention.
Breast cancer is not a disease that our Lord God Almighty created and neither
can its resolution be given to His hands. Neither is the supposed cure a
question of money. </div>
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These two women had no prior information, knowledge and understanding of breast cancer. The 1st one died 10 years after diagnosis and medical treatment while the 2nd one is still alive after 10 years of non-diagnosis and non-treatment. Unlike many others, Rosa and I had learned tremendously from attending five World
Conferences of Breast Cancer which is how the Philippine Breast Cancer Network
was founded in 1997.</div>
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Had I then the knowledge and experience that I possess now,
Rosa would most possibly be with me today continuing the advocacy for the
eradication of breast cancer. But then, if
not for her battle with breast cancer, I would not be able to do what I do now.
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The Philippine Breast Cancer Network continues its most
difficult task in honor of Rosa, the 1st woman, the 2nd woman and countless victims of this most dreaded woman’s disease. The PBCN strongly
believes that breast cancer does not have to happen. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy "would-be" 40th anniversary, dearest Rosa!</td></tr>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-73197436001385913542013-02-28T07:11:00.000-08:002017-03-10T01:08:12.202-08:00Mining, mercury and breast cancerFormer President Joseph Estrada totally banned mining during his term but his predecessors have since <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/philippines-auction-mt-diwalwal-goldcopper-prospect-again-230354">lifted the ban.</a>. In fact, during President <a href="http://world.time.com/2012/09/13/sitting-on-a-gold-mine-will-mining-make-or-break-the-philippines/">Nonoy Aquino's</a> state visit to China two years ago, four Chinese mining companies agreed to invest US$14 billion in mining operations between 2011 and 2014.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_f1jvSWMxeXQIQb3rOh_trqvqQs6JHfVxQDnjyToDA_D7j7JsFnRspEEVxTSifvr_eLYm2pjvwH_Y_PX0q7yhk6V1ktSUVg7Si0umjaNasfcLIa27-3-UltgHgPRVZDb87-s2dI9HKig/s1600/Mt+diwalwal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_f1jvSWMxeXQIQb3rOh_trqvqQs6JHfVxQDnjyToDA_D7j7JsFnRspEEVxTSifvr_eLYm2pjvwH_Y_PX0q7yhk6V1ktSUVg7Si0umjaNasfcLIa27-3-UltgHgPRVZDb87-s2dI9HKig/s1600/Mt+diwalwal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from beforeitsnews.com</td></tr>
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China's rapid industrialization needs has led to thousands of <a href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/95255/2-provinces-swamped-with-gold-rush-migrants-seeking-fortune">small scale mining operations</a> in more than 30 provinces. Being the 12th largest source of gold in the world, the Philippines has become the 3rd largest gold exporter to Hongkong, after Switzerland and China itself with total shipments averaging 80 tons annually since 2010 from a measly 11 kg in 2001. Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley is considered to have the largest gold deposit in the world and alone has about 30,000 miners (60% of all the country's <a href="http://www.worstpolluted.org/projects_reports/display/102">artisinal miners</a>). Today, the Naboc and Agusan rivers are grossly contaminated with mercury and cyanide and these long-lasting elements have accumulated in the ground water and food chain.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRyNAa7x2nlL8ggt4nPoABdEfsp2mBZFG-OAdLl8vnPzRoCDQL9xdRj-uxbYeMyfwoK8CbO28-zx_xYIPLCCAmqjvW1RKcyYDwzlVVeh2d7zJ_uQCzmqukkIJ3UMytIdSqYlRIYQLKh0/s1600/Compostel+Dec+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRyNAa7x2nlL8ggt4nPoABdEfsp2mBZFG-OAdLl8vnPzRoCDQL9xdRj-uxbYeMyfwoK8CbO28-zx_xYIPLCCAmqjvW1RKcyYDwzlVVeh2d7zJ_uQCzmqukkIJ3UMytIdSqYlRIYQLKh0/s640/Compostel+Dec+2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The typhoon that hit Compostela in December 2012 released untold amounts of mercury in the lowlands.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX8LF9sb9Jh2Le00BF1JtVO2xg3Zfs9IxyS-LTGrjUx01yXFXStu57pEeQpB1wtCB4sVmKUGEihSs5w3R7o9aIX-eynPKGt8q-U4fDqA12-hx-I-Is8sY6k07-_aVk5owg172Qkb0NQY/s1600/meycauayan_river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX8LF9sb9Jh2Le00BF1JtVO2xg3Zfs9IxyS-LTGrjUx01yXFXStu57pEeQpB1wtCB4sVmKUGEihSs5w3R7o9aIX-eynPKGt8q-U4fDqA12-hx-I-Is8sY6k07-_aVk5owg172Qkb0NQY/s1600/meycauayan_river.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from geotayo.com</td></tr>
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In Bulacan, enormous amounts of industrial waste and mercury is dumped into the <a href="http://www.blacksmithinstitute.org/heavy-metal-pollution-in-the-mariloa-river.html">Marilao-Meycauyan-Obando river system</a> from small-scale lead recylers in Marilao and from leather tanneries and numerous gold jewelers in Meycauyan.<br />
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These effluents go directly into Manila Bay and find their way to Cavite, a clear symptom of which are the contaminated shellfish. Both Bulacan and Cavite are now experiencing an alarming rate of breast cancer cases.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiQy8Ckz3M0z8eMVHWvpMSCqifotFb6DIalaxjOSVKW_Y_VSKVi9bmmAiU8aYbkJ3aW1rfViDaBuRcVV_351fve3jTHtIIQUcYiwUH8g8kawHVEkTSUizPowQr9QIJkts5Pw-DF6ihBA/s1600/atlas-toledo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiQy8Ckz3M0z8eMVHWvpMSCqifotFb6DIalaxjOSVKW_Y_VSKVi9bmmAiU8aYbkJ3aW1rfViDaBuRcVV_351fve3jTHtIIQUcYiwUH8g8kawHVEkTSUizPowQr9QIJkts5Pw-DF6ihBA/s1600/atlas-toledo.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from aboutphilippines.ph</td></tr>
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Years ago, I visited Guihulngan in Negros Oriental (100 kms north of Dumaguete City) where I learned that it had the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in the province. How could a small and sleepy town have an epidemic? What was common among the population was their ground water which I already suspected. When the weather was too rough to travel by sea from Dumaguete to Cebu City, one could travel by land to Guihulngan and take a small boat to Toledo and then take a land ride Cebu. What was in Toledo? <a href="http://main.tfdp.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=136&Itemid=30">Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation </a>whose operations were stopped when fisher folk complained that its tailings had so contaminated the fishing grounds. Guess where all the mercury and cyanide had also gone? To the ground water of Guihulngan.<br />
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In the recent earthquake that hit Guihulngan in February 2012, a rapid increase of breast cancer cases can be expected when all the mercury and cyanide were abruptly released from the groundwater.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from denverpost.com</td></tr>
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And with the recent typhoon that hit Compostela Valley in December 2012, also expect an <a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2012/08/floods-and-breast-cancer.html">outbreak of breast cancer </a>when all the mercury and cyanide from the mining areas widely spread.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from HANDOUT/Reuters</td></tr>
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Mercury exerts an estrogenic effect on breast cancer cells by binding to estrogen receptors mostly found in the breast area, causing increased abnormal cell growth. This heavy metal disrupts normal cellular repair and disrupts the natural detoxification mechanisms of the kidney and liver (the blood factory).<br />
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Do medical oncologists ever determine the presence of heavy metals such as mercury in their breast cancer patients? They never do! So how can they ever really treat breast cancer caused by mercury and cyanide. Breast cancer caused by environmental contamination and treated with toxic chemo drugs will only aggravate and result into further health complications.<br />
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One out of 13 women in the Philippines will get breast cancer during her lifetime and only a firm environmental solution can reverse this public health crisis.<br />
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-51335376516526352832012-10-29T20:43:00.000-07:002014-09-27T22:54:20.727-07:00October, breast cancer carnival month<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">When October ends, will the pink
carnival also end? Nope, because breast cancer will continue to dominate the fear of
every woman in the Philippines where 1 in 13 will get the disease. The show goes on.....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHmm8YIsIhxM72VlAHvD3HcPPkFQKIurukuIVOJWFMs0JVJHgi8gGLJKa5nBXw-aSZYbsIcNshpNZPBrx_lEfjN6dXjP-XMI36fPcm304Iy2tBegln5CIXoIhLHr7gJQRpbURoPECBt4/s1600/Belgium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHmm8YIsIhxM72VlAHvD3HcPPkFQKIurukuIVOJWFMs0JVJHgi8gGLJKa5nBXw-aSZYbsIcNshpNZPBrx_lEfjN6dXjP-XMI36fPcm304Iy2tBegln5CIXoIhLHr7gJQRpbURoPECBt4/s1600/Belgium.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">As aptly said by <a href="http://www.cbcn.ca/index.php?pageaction=content.page&id=1987&lang=en">Rosa Francia Meneses</a> during the 1999 World Conference on Breast Cancer in Ottawa, “The
greatest risk of getting breast cancer tomorrow is being born today in a
developing country. The greatest risk of not surviving breast cancer today is
being a woman in the Philippines."</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">In the Philippines, the
Department of Health has more than once embarked on major breast cancer programs
since 20 years ago. None has made any major inroad as seen by the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B0ibpFD7fQ"> country’s registering the highest growth in incidence rate worldwide</a> while having the 12<sup>th</sup>
highest mortality rate. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Only recently, the government’s <a href="http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/278314/news/nation/philhealth-vows-p100-000-payment-for-breast-cancer-treatment">Philippine Health Insurance Corporation</a> opened the doors to more over-diagnosis and over-treatments of breast cancer by providing treatment funds for its qualified members.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">And at the legislative levels of government, no bill has
been written for the prevention of this environmental disease. <a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2014/05/pbcn-position-on-senate-bills-on-breast.html">All bills proposed</a> were on early detection thru mammography – clearly riding this public health issue
from a medical point of view and NOT on a people’s point of view, which is “we
do not want to get breast cancer!” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2014/02/philippine-media-black-out-on-25-year.html">Media</a> has even made
itself part of the carnival by featuring the latest treatments, even
alternative ones. All the 3 major television networks more than once took
contact with the PBCN for their respective features for breast cancer month.
However, the PBCN saw no reason to be part of the "carnival" - the
glamorization, commercialization and misinformation. Either they wanted
personalities with breast cancer to attract viewers, prop up the
medical-pharmaceutical industry or present early detection as a preventive
measure. It was best and prudent for the PBCN no to be used as a decor or
worse, to be misrepresented to the public. All were grossly lacking in research
and journalism depth. I challenged them to make a powerful feature on the risks
and dangers of annual chest x-rays and mammograms but I knew none would take me
upon it. So don't think that all the talk on breast cancer seen on television is
reliable - they will simply go through the motions with not much substance.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSvDjc7wmeC3i7t8b5z6w9Q17eDW7Lsczh7Iw7CQbA-rxhf-k2-Bo0zbc_X6_B_L3BXOKV-G1XQDrXLdz9y6vbunPNp_BSx_jMnaol2sWoj5R66PFAD6-0PbaGhiGI6TUCFIUcp1aye0/s1600/Billboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSvDjc7wmeC3i7t8b5z6w9Q17eDW7Lsczh7Iw7CQbA-rxhf-k2-Bo0zbc_X6_B_L3BXOKV-G1XQDrXLdz9y6vbunPNp_BSx_jMnaol2sWoj5R66PFAD6-0PbaGhiGI6TUCFIUcp1aye0/s1600/Billboard.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">So who will benefit with the
October breast cancer awareness month? The medical—pharmaceutical-supplement
network industry! <a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2014/07/human-nature-pink-marketing-at-its-worst.html">Even a supposedly conscientious company has allowed itself to be used which would likewise benefit themselves.</a> The entire awareness blah-blah-blah will simply scare women to seek medical solutions without addressing how they got it in the first place. And why would
it be important for every patient to understand her environmental exposures
which led to her breast cancer? Because her daughters, sisters, relatives,
neighbors and co-workers will one day also get breast cancer – not from the
genes but because of environmental risk exposures!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">The PBCN has been observing several patients from specific areas but not limited to Angeles City (Pampanga), Guihulngan (Negros Oriental) and Bacoor (Cavite). What is similar to all is their ground water supply which is most definitely contaminated with carcinogens from different sources.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.3333330154419px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">Then as far as occupational hazards would be the high incidence rate among government female workers – </span><a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2012/10/teachers-occupational-hazard-for-breast.html" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">specifically public school teachers</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">. The required annual chest x-rays have only done harm by exposing their breasts to repeated radiation particularly during their periods of vulnerability.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3B_ITFoKPSmhGKVwugzvGDRTgzT_6s8hmaGFoy0bn2c5Ljf6RlAm7JUXkB2Or4zcC8Ce_iOWnvycSRTLq_KFDZWalBlaOLmyXFI4gP3anZuA2xodZReU8IC_pck0UhZYFqzXTUJ-DPw/s1600/Lipa+BC+Marketing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3B_ITFoKPSmhGKVwugzvGDRTgzT_6s8hmaGFoy0bn2c5Ljf6RlAm7JUXkB2Or4zcC8Ce_iOWnvycSRTLq_KFDZWalBlaOLmyXFI4gP3anZuA2xodZReU8IC_pck0UhZYFqzXTUJ-DPw/s1600/Lipa+BC+Marketing.jpg" height="188" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3333330154419px;">There is no such thing as early detection. It </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.3333330154419px;">takes 5 to 10 years before the first symptoms of breast cancer are manifested. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3333330154419px;">So</span><a href="http://pbcn.blogspot.com/2012/06/over-diagnosis-and-over-treatment-of.html" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3333330154419px;">-called long term survivors either had no cancer in the very first place (over diagnosis) or had non-aggressive types such as DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) which was never life-threatening even without treatment.</a><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Mammography is a medical risk
factor for eventually getting breast cancer. Women are being told year in and
year out that they are clear from the disease, only waiting for the time to be
told, “I’m sorry Ma’m but you now have breast cancer,” <span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNiKdgeqG4xKpGsavexob_XwmjgtD7TXBdMMOjdYyMVwMbF_Epw1vtnpaepiB-E5jKWoHzgh9rYjc-qWTeLpVfKfFRTRfoj0CrouH2uQgT8mN68QwJXZvKFriMRfZB3fMNv1tMh0AIy0/s1600/Carnival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNiKdgeqG4xKpGsavexob_XwmjgtD7TXBdMMOjdYyMVwMbF_Epw1vtnpaepiB-E5jKWoHzgh9rYjc-qWTeLpVfKfFRTRfoj0CrouH2uQgT8mN68QwJXZvKFriMRfZB3fMNv1tMh0AIy0/s1600/Carnival.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The October carnival happens every year but the tragedy of breast cancer must stop.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>NO to mammography!</b></span></td></tr>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-66654931776604800932012-10-05T00:06:00.001-07:002012-10-05T00:45:55.889-07:00Teachers - an occupational hazard for breast cancerToday, the nation celebrate's Teacher's day - ironically in the month of breast cancer awareness. Just this morning, another teacher-victim of breast cancer passed away just 3 years after being diagnosed at age 34.<br />
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Ever since the PBCN was established, we have observed several patients from the teaching profession, mostly coming from the public school sector. Among the early PBCN members was Lenirose Espanol-Cuartero who was diagnosed at age 31 and died just 2 years later.<br />
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In 2004, a long-scheduled PBCN symposium on breast cancer for all the public school Principals of Lipa City was unceremoniously cancelled by the Department of Education's Division of Schools Superintendent - just a few days. No reason was given.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBle6VLd_P_fH8DCgIjFoMdQ5cMWmjWyqfoiTXLKELS-y_rmOKCozDDpFQz6deE2TmQTiLpJ5ZO36n8n0t8_89XTVjkSyjE84HijGDsjWjy207wK0_jYt1y-vULEP3OCgvdGiq4EafNg/s1600/sympo+37+Lipa+Mabini+Faculty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBle6VLd_P_fH8DCgIjFoMdQ5cMWmjWyqfoiTXLKELS-y_rmOKCozDDpFQz6deE2TmQTiLpJ5ZO36n8n0t8_89XTVjkSyjE84HijGDsjWjy207wK0_jYt1y-vULEP3OCgvdGiq4EafNg/s320/sympo+37+Lipa+Mabini+Faculty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Prior to the incident, a PBCN symposium was held for the faculty of Mabini High School in Lipa City on September 2003. The danger of radiation from annual chest X-rays was discussed among other environmental causes of breast cancer. The teachers found the symposium very relevant and thought it best to have others to also know how to avoid breast cancer. It was through their initiative that a symposium for all principals and teachers in their division be scheduled. Most likely, the Division learned that the PBCN was questioning the annual chest X-rays done on all women, regardless of their health history or condition. He most probably did not want teachers questioning this.<br />
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When asked in international breast cancer conferences what would account for the epidemic in the Philippines, all are shocked to know of this annual chest X-ray required of all female teachers. Despite the fact that the Quezon Institute for Tuberculosis no longer exists, this practice is still being done ever since then President Manuel Quezon died of tuberculosis. Other than tuberculosis incidence now being minimal and curable, there are now other means to test through the skin, saliva and blood. But chest x-rays are still being done, no matter how old or non-calibrated the equipment is. By annually exposing the breasts of all women (most of whom have healthy lungs), they are being placed at great risk of getting breast cancer.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #0082c8; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #0082c8; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">Read this link on a recent study on chest radiation done on women before age 30 as a risk for those with BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation: </span><a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_129037.html">http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_129037.html</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24UB6JeNtvKAsIiTjRXdp8EoaONvS5qkcFv6aelFfoCPFUfaFqcVDMVz8pK8KGSeLR0VBaBDuXDgBE6yhnpbt2GSdW8xRp_NMKXiC0JZ64D-m43YBvX-YWNduVJAfXJIb72b92wyP9iY/s1600/P9270358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24UB6JeNtvKAsIiTjRXdp8EoaONvS5qkcFv6aelFfoCPFUfaFqcVDMVz8pK8KGSeLR0VBaBDuXDgBE6yhnpbt2GSdW8xRp_NMKXiC0JZ64D-m43YBvX-YWNduVJAfXJIb72b92wyP9iY/s320/P9270358.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The PBCN recently held a symposium in Donsol, Sorsogon and we were not at all surprised to have met teachers afflicted with breast cancer. Though a small community of only 50,000 inhabitants with a very rural and pollution-free environment, the only common risk factor of these teachers were the annual chest x-rays done by mobile units contracted by the Department of Health.<br />
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There is no question that radiation causes cancer! While mainstream media keeps reporting about early detection and advances in treatment (whether conventional or not), nothing at all is being mentioned about causes, risk factors and prevention such as the high risks of radiation - like the annual chest x-rays done on all female teachers. Media would never mention this for if they did, they would be opening the doors questioning mammography which is being pushed by the medical sector, as well as government authorities. For this, both the Department of Education and the Department of Health are equally to be blamed for the breast cancer epidemic in our country today.<br />
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The moment it is admitted that annual chest x-rays place women at risk of getting breast cancer, out of the window goes mammography!<br />
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<br />danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2951503564536415280.post-27140254636186044262012-10-02T20:29:00.000-07:002017-09-06T17:07:41.177-07:00Triple Negative Breast Cancer<u><b>With update below</b></u><br />
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Upon the request of Desiree Jimenez-Razo (36), we traveled to Donsol, Sorsogon to address her breast cancer as well as conduct a symposium for teachers in this far-flung tourist destination.</span></h2>
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She had undergone breast surgery two months ago and had been diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma at the Bicol Reguional Training and Teaching Hospital in Legazpi City. Though the pathology report was negative for residual tumor, all surgical margins of resection and all ten axillary lymph nodes, the immunohistochemical report showed triple negative breast cancer: Estrogen receptor negative (ER-); Progesterone receptor negative (PR-) and HER2/neu negative (HER2-). </span></h2>
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It is said that from 10 to 20% of medically diagnosed breast cancer cases are triple negative, occurring more often in younger women and are considered often to be aggressive with a poorer prognosis than other types of breast cancer.<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #111111; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "clean" , sans-serif;"> At this time, however, there is no standard medical recommendation that women with triple-negative breast cancer should have more treatment than the usual.</span></span></h2>
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Ongoing studies have been looking at whether giving chemotherapy before surgery is better than after surgery. However, doctors are still developing their understanding of triple-negative breast cancer and vary in their treatment recommendations because triple negative breast cancer does not respond to hormone drugs and becomes resistant to chemotherapy. To this very day, medical science does not yet know the cause of triple negative breast cancer or the factors that initiate the process.</div>
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In my opinion, triple breast cancer is medically considered aggressive precisely because there is no drug doctors can use to address it. As if all the surgery, chemotherapy and radiation aren't aggressive in themselves! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKaG0ib9bebUrzvlKLsEAwP8v8prSsqT8BbPuquQLqrY3NDAK2tJn7H5iFMcvYcg0Bc0Dd5dMplufQbdLj2k1JWTk1xevoqO4PjRNhNFEG_hM0M_ZnlQUjF_Sz8zsfmhk6k08Jopy3pVI/s1600/butanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKaG0ib9bebUrzvlKLsEAwP8v8prSsqT8BbPuquQLqrY3NDAK2tJn7H5iFMcvYcg0Bc0Dd5dMplufQbdLj2k1JWTk1xevoqO4PjRNhNFEG_hM0M_ZnlQUjF_Sz8zsfmhk6k08Jopy3pVI/s320/butanding.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0js58RWdDl6OuAKmy9uBs3XOE7uZykfZiU8XAiujxTBJYn_L9R3_SSMsTPObgsoJJ2CExITgc1AW1GhJlWv7zpbTFItRTASYheVyCz3sFqngPwMmTzcvGai_49jjFhmQdO4t7IdWUNZ8/s1600/Donsol.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0js58RWdDl6OuAKmy9uBs3XOE7uZykfZiU8XAiujxTBJYn_L9R3_SSMsTPObgsoJJ2CExITgc1AW1GhJlWv7zpbTFItRTASYheVyCz3sFqngPwMmTzcvGai_49jjFhmQdO4t7IdWUNZ8/s320/Donsol.JPG" width="142" /></a>A school teacher since after college, Desiree (a mother of two sons, 12 & 8) had none of the known medical risk factors. She has been residing since birth at a relatively clean environment as evidenced by the "<i>butandings"</i> (whale sharks) in Donsol, the main tourist attraction of their less than 50,000 inhabitant community. What could have most likely caused her breast cancer - a triple negative at that?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFGkCVQU9VItg5F38j49EugkVl1EXm3gvvc51XW3FdVCDFJGTYBRkdaNk0GMR8KksKXnHwf-1Q2yj8e5KvKjZ-legemozzs-wapBYxM8mdqpbdRA0xIolG9mcs1CrQhlbvEyNlTQgoSA/s1600/P9270361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFGkCVQU9VItg5F38j49EugkVl1EXm3gvvc51XW3FdVCDFJGTYBRkdaNk0GMR8KksKXnHwf-1Q2yj8e5KvKjZ-legemozzs-wapBYxM8mdqpbdRA0xIolG9mcs1CrQhlbvEyNlTQgoSA/s320/P9270361.JPG" width="320" /></a>During the symposium we conducted for teachers the day before leaving Donsol, there was another teacher who had also just recently undergone breast surgery and undergoing chemotherapy despite not having any hormone assay. Another one had multiple lumps on both breasts upon our physical examination. Two others had thyroid problems while another was already sensing breast lumps. The only common risk exposure to these teachers was the annually required chest x-rays which were done by a mobile unit from Legazpi City. </div>
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To my knowledge, the Philippine is the only country in the world that requires annual chest x-rays on all its public school teachers regardless of their health condition, no matter that majority have no history of lung illnesses. Worst of all, even young girls entering college are unnecessarily exposed to the dangers of radiation during their vulnerable period - at a time when their breasts are undergoing formation. History taking is foremost in medical screening but both government and medical authorities in the Philippines continue to expose women to the high risks of radiation especially in the rural areas where out-dated and terribly unsafe mobile machines are being used!</div>
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Prior to coming to Donsol, we had a 50 year old patient whose latest mammogram showed a BIRADS 4 (suspicions of malignancy). This particular woman had been submitting herself to annual mammography since age 38 in the hope of early detection only to get a suspicious malignancy from the continuous exposures to radiation from mammography. No, it was not early detection but eventual affliction from mammography! In the case of Desiree, she had underwent chest x-ray more than once within a year in two occasions for use of a relative's work application. </div>
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Instead of looking at possible receptors to find a drug (because tamoxifen and herceptin are not for triple negative breast cancer), looking into environmental factors such as radiation exposures would be more like it! Government and health authorities must stop the practice of requiring annual chest x-rays on all female employees as well as female students entering high school and college. As for mammography, women must not submit to this high risk exposure to radiation!</div>
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The PBCN re-affirms its position that whatever type of breast cancer (triple negative or not), a non-toxic and non-invasive approach will be safe and beneficial for the patient! </div>
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<u><b>Updated 28 September 2014</b></u></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><b>Exactly two years ago, we travelled all the way to Donsol, Sorsogon for a public school teacher who underwent a mastectomy with 0/10 lymph nodes negative and diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. While we were there, we visited another co-teacher breast cancer patient but she and her policeman husband preferred to follow their doctor. She passed away six months later - most surely because of the toxic chemo she submitted to.</b></span></div>
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<b>The PBCN is proud and happy because Desiree is a living testimony of how an empowered woman can live with breast cancer without chemotherapy. Last April, she gave normal birth to a heath baby boy and her seaman husband has jumped ship to be with her and their three sons in their simple but peaceful and beautiful town of Donsol. Keeping well and staying happy together!</b></div>
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danny meneseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05729707972060070736noreply@blogger.com3