October 29, 2025 | News by PISD
OMPH Primary Care suppports October Breast Cancer Awareness Month as it will open and fortified the OMPH Chemotherapy and Hematology Unit this end of year. Primed by a lay-forum by Dr. Michael Dennis I. dela Paz, Chairman of the Department of Surgery of OMPH last October 27, 2025 attended by patients and their relatives at the out patient department, everyone was reminded of the pink ribbon symbol of hope and our responsibility to take care of ourselves and everyone in the community specially those who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Being one of the key organizer of this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) events, Dr. Dela Paz recalled that the campaign began in 2014 with a Pink Fun Run in Manila, later inspiring local versions in Oriental Mindoro since 2017 then Dr. Lorman Goco modified it into other kind of sports such as pink bike(2021), Pink Ride(motorcycle, 2022), eventually evolving to other kind of fitness activities such as Pink CrossFit(2023), Pink Paw Run with dogs(2024) and Pink Dry Run (Dance, 2025) being endorsed by the Philippine Society of General Surgeons(PSGS).
“In 2023, when you googled breast cancer, herbal remedies topped the results for which most of our patients would try first before.their disease becomes too late,” dela Paz said. “Now, years later of the breast cancer awareness program, you’ll find more about standard care — prevention, early screening, detection, and treatment — thanks to these awareness efforts and to the work of local media and information offices.”
Still, he said, unhealthy lifestyles and diet remain a major risks for breast cancer. And being inflicted with breast cancer in our province specially in late stage will be major financial constraint because one have to travel to Batangas or to Metro Manila in order to completely avail of the standard care of treatment like radiotherapy. That’s why we strongly advocate preventive measures of healthy lifestyle and diet as well as early detection such as self breast examination, annual physical check up as well as screening breast ultrasound and mammography for early detection.