Kids Of Hope

Survivors’ Day Celebration

edsonbeley — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:18:40 +0000

Surviving Cancer

Today we are celebrating our 4^th Survivors’ Day. The list holds about 200 children who have survived cancer. Some are cured, some are waiting, hoping for a cure. It all started 4 years ago, when an inspired thought of bringing in all children who fought and won the battle against cancer, brings them back to where their fight against cancer first began- at Southern Philippines Medical Center. Some will make the journey of tens or hundreds of kilometers, others will not. You see, we might have cured cancer, but we have not found the cure for poverty. Many of these children will not have the resources to make the trip; but I am sure they and their family are one with us in celebrating another year and another milestone in a second life.

The aim of Survivors Day is to bring back testaments of hope to children currently being treated for cancer. Nobody can give a more convincing story than someone who has actually fought the fight and won. Over the years, from a straggly group of about 35 children and their parents, the numbers have grown to a big giant party of HOPE. This event is also a meeting of all the people who have contributed their time, talents and treasure in making sure that these children get their best chances to life. Nothing is more fulfilling than the joy of seeing a child survive cancer.

The House of Hope Legacy

In August 2007, RC Waling Waling Davao sponsored the renovation of an old dorm at then Davao Medical Center. This infrastructure became House of Hope (HOH), a transient home for children with cancer. It has become not only a home but a symbol of Hope for many children diagnosed with cancer all over Mindanao. The success of HoH is evident in the fact that since then two other similar facilities were patterned after HoH- the first was in Central Park, Bangkal and today, Margarita Village Hope will be inaugurated. Fr PonPon Vasquez initiated the renovation of Hope Bangkal. The home belongs to a donor who prefers to be anonymous. It began to accept patients from far flung areas in Mindanao seeking treatment at Southern Philippines Medical Center in December 2010. It was used by child cancer patients in May 2011 when SPMC House of Hope underwent refurbishing; and currently two patients from the Unit are under its care. Margarita Village Hope is another transient home for adolescent patients who do not require frequent visits to the hospital since this transient home is located at Margarita Village, a short walk/ride from SPMC. It was renovated by another generous donor who might also want to remain anonymous.

Indeed, House of Hope has become not only a structure but also a symbol of faith in God who provides the needs of these children by touching the hearts of many generous souls.

Mae Concepcion J. Dolendo, MD, DPPS, FPSPO
Pediatrics – Oncology
Medical Director,St Jude Partner Site
Davao City, PHIL

Like us on FACEBOOK: Kids of Hope

edsonbeley — Thu, 05 May 2011 06:12:17 +0000

April: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

edsonbeley — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:47:53 +0000

Southern Philippines Medical Center- Children’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Unit in cooperation with Davao Children’s Cancer Fund, Inc. together with the childhood cancer advocates of Davao City celebrates “April: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month”. Several activities were held in promoting Danny Thomas’ saying “ No child should die in the dawn of life…”

April 1-30, 2011- “Faces of Hope”, a photo exhibit by Fotospeak Media Davao-Canon at SPMC

April 2, 2011- Motorcade from Southern Philippines Medical Center to NCCC Mall Matina

April 4-15,2011- “Faces of Hope” , a photo exhibit by Davao Photographers for Peace at NCCC Mall

April 5-6, 2011- Civic Voluntary Action: Tree planting and gardening. by the Naval Forces of Eastern Mindanao Command under Com. Phillip Cacayan.

April 6, 2011- “Suroy Na, Lingaw Pa” at Bluejaz with the pedia onco patients by Vice Mayor Rody Duterte

April 10, 2011- Thanksgiving Mass at Southern Philippines Medical Center

April 10-15, 2011- Tri Media exposure on Educational Health Campaign about Childhood Cancer in Mindanao

April 16, 2011- Public Forum ” Holistic Healthy Lifestyle fights Cancer” at NCCC Mall Matina, Davao City

April 16-30, 2011 Photo exhibit at the Peoples’ Park

April 27-28, 2011 Fund raising activity: Li’l Brave Warriors Ukay-ukay for children with cancer at SPMC JICA building

SPMC Children’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Unit Soon to Open

mae — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:32:55 +0000

The work is ongoing for the new Southern Philippines Medical Center Children’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Unit (SPMC CCBDU). Inauguration is earmarked for April 8, 2010 when the 25-bed capacity Unit will be completed. This facility includes a Pediatric ICU Step Down Unit for children with cancer needing Intermediate ICU Care, a Chemotherapy Room, Blood Diseases Room, Isolation Rooms, Teen’s Room, Procedure Room and an Activity Area. This is the first of its kind in the country with its own dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and support staff including Child Life.

This initiative is in keeping with the continuing efforts to improve the care of childhood cancer in the country particularly those coming from marginalized families.

The SPMC CCBDU is supported by various GOs and NGOs and is an affiliate of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the World Child Cancer Foundation.

A Miracle Girl

mae — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:02:41 +0000

In April 2009, a six year old girl named Jessalyn from General Santos City started to have abdominal pain and vomiting which prompted her parents to bring her for consultation. When she was examined by the doctor, he noticed a mass in Jessalyn’s abdomen and on further work-up, a tumor was considered. She was subsequently referred to Davao Medical Center in Davao City for definitive diagnosis and treatment.

Jessalyn with her parents.

When she first came to us, Jessalyn was a cheerful and cheeky girl who can dance to the latest pop tunes and television music videos. But unknown to this otherwise happy little girl, a tumor is treacherously growing on top of her left kidney, slowly wrapping around the major blood vessels and creeping into her bone marrow. When all the work-ups were done, Jessalyn was diagnosed with a stage 4 neuroblastoma, a type of cancer which has an affinity to neural tissue like the adrenals. Her cancer has spread to her bone marrow. She needed a highly intensive chemotherapy which hopefully will increase her chances to survival. That was the medical situation; the dilemma was how to access the otherwise very expensive chemotherapy medicine. Jessalyn was the youngest of three children, her mother was a housewife and her father works as a garbage collector. Her parents were crestfallen and were praying for a miracle to happen.

And it did. As if by miracle, others may call it fate, or simply answered prayers, the donation of Irinotecan by the Philippine Marines Corps arrived on the day Jessalyn needed the medicine. This donation was part of the cancer medicines donated by the Asia American initiative to the Philippine Marine Corps. And we had access to it because on April 20, 2009 the PMC and the Philippine Society of Pediatric Oncology (PSPO) signed a Manifesto of Joint Advocacy in support of children with cancer. (Refer to CITEMAR06 article, Jan-June 2009 edition).

Fighting and winning over cancer.

Today, Jessalyn has completed four courses of chemotherapy. She has survived a major surgery that removed all tumors including her left kidney. She is bald and a little thinner but she remains the happy and hopeful little girl we first got to know, and we look forward to her writing more chapters in her own story.

We are back!

mae — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:51:04 +0000

We are back online! We apologize for the short bleep on our website life. We missed you and will make it up to you on the succeeding days and weeks to come. Hope you like our new look for 2010.