2019 SYNERGY JUN

June 2019 SY N E R GY Vol. 08 No.02 Strong Spirits Meet the nurses who dedicate their lives to the medical care of people in need A Quarterly Publication of St. Luke’sSMYeNdiEcaRl CGeYnter - Resource Development Group

EDITORIAL BOARD Arturo S. De La Peña, MD Benjamin S.A. Campomanes, Jr., MD Olivia B. Yao EDITORIAL TEAM EXECUTIVE EDITOR Janica Balasolla CREATIVE DIRECTOR Edric dela Rosa ASSOCIATE EDITOR Niña Bautista PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeeb Baldonado Pash Brillantes Iya Forbes EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jude Trinidad THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY YOU MAY CONTACT US FOR YOUR DONATIONS: ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER - RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP 5/F, St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City 32nd Street and 5th Avenue (+632) 789-7700 extension 5076 and 5077 8/F St Luke’s College of Medicine - William H. Quasha Memorial 279 E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City Website: www.stlukesfoundation.org.ph E-mail: slmcfoundation@gmail.com For comments and suggestions, please call Niña Mirrela C. Bautista ReD – Fund Development Officer Tel. No.: (632) 789-7576

June 2019 A VOICE TO LEAD The St. Luke’s Medical Center Elsie Gaches Village in Alabang, continued support in staying true Foundation, Inc. shapes its vision while the NCG of Quezon City to the mission and vision of the for the future by the strength of had a health seminar on common Foundation. its mission and the dedication of rainy day infections and diseases its staff members, the doctors in their adopted barangay in As always, thank you for taking and associates of the hospital. Baesa, Quezon City. St. Luke’s the time to read and learn more We value our staff as much as we Foundation has financially about what we do in St. Luke’s value our patients, which is why supported these activities to Foundation. we recognize their hardwork and promote health awareness and dedication in every opportunity giving of gifts as part of these DR. ARTURO S. DE LA PEÑA we get. At SLMC, our nurses are celebrations. President & CEO one of our prized staff members St. Luke’s Medical Center in the hospital. Too often we In providing up to date quality President, St. Luke’s Medical underestimate the healing and care for our patients, the SLMC Center Foundation, Inc. power that a simple touch, smile, Department of Dentistry and Oral kind words and the smallest act Surgery Services, Outpatient of caring that our nurses can Department (OPD), Medical give. As International Nurses Social Service Department and Week concluded, the Foundation, St. Luke’s Foundation conducted Department of Social Welfare the yearly free dental service and Development (DSWD) and clinic. My sincerest thanks to Nursing Care Group (NCG) of our dedicated volunteers and Global City organized an outreach generous sponsors for making program for special children at this program possible for the fifth time around. I hope for your SY N E R GY 01

June 2019 EYE OPENER A FISHERMAN ALMOST LOSES HIS VISION BUT GETS SAVED THROUGH THE FOUNDATION’S AID When Antonio Martinez was confined in St. Retinal detachment is an emergency situation Luke’s hospital to undergo several treatments for in which a thin layer of tissue (the retina) at the his retinal detachment case, he incurred a huge back of the eye pulls away from its normal position, amount of hospital bill that his family could not causing a person’s eye/s to see tiny specks and even pay for. With his irregular job as a fisherman flashes of light, and even blurred vision. and his children’s below-minimum wage incomes, the family had to seek assistance from St. Luke’s Martinez was able to pay some of his medical Medical Center Foundation, Inc. (SLMCFI) to cover bills when he got qualified as a beneficiary of St. a part of his expenses during confinement. Luke’s Foundation. 02 S Y N E R G Y

June 2019 ACCELERATING Six speakers delivered lectures on Image THE PRACTICE Enhanced Endoscopy, Pathologic Evaluation, and other relevant topics. Dr Noriya Uedo, the IDLD, ANBIIG TRAIN LOCAL DOCTORS Vice Director of Department of Gastrointestinal IN LATEST ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES Oncology at Osaka International Cancer Institute, and Dr. Yasushi Sano, Chief Director of the Institute Having been known as the premier institute in the of Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Care at Sano field Gastroenterology, the Institute of Digestive Hospital, were the foreign speakers invited in and Liver Diseases (IDLD), together with St. Luke’s the workshop. Local Faculty members who also Medical Center Foundation, Inc. and the Asian delivered lectures include Dr. Edgardo Bondoc, Dr. Novel Bio-Imaging Intervention Group (ANBIIG), Glenda Pua, Dr. Richtofen De Jesus, and Dr. Patricia conducted a two-day Teaching Image-Enhanced Anne Cabral-Prodigalidad. Endoscopy workshop held at the IDLD Conference Room and the Minimally Invasive Robotics Surgery The workshop was attended by Training Center last March 6 and 7, 2019. The workshop Officers of all training institutions in the field of aims to update and educate doctors, fellows, gastroenterology. Dr. Arturo De La Peña (President pre-fellows, and nurses on the latest procedures and CEO of SLMC) gave his inspirational message and developments in endoscopy through hands- and Dr. Juliet Cervantes (Head of SLMC-GC IDLD) on training activities with the use of live porcine for the welcome address. This workshop was made models as part of the St. Luke’s Foundation’s possible because of Dr. Mark Anthony De Lusong Continuing Medical Education Program. (Immediate Past President, Philippine Society of Digestive Endoscopy), Dr. Michelle Cloa (President, PSDE) and Dr. Jonard Co (Consultant, SLMC-IDLD GC and Course Director) SY N E R GY 03

June 2019 TENDER LOVING CARE SLMC CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL NURSES WEEK 2019 Nurses all over the globe were celebrated for feeding program, and turnover of hygiene kits their dedication and hard work in this year’s International Nurses Week. As part of the and supplies. celebration, SLMC GC and QC organized separate programs that aim to promote health awareness Elsie Gaches Village opened in 1964 and is the as well as provide medical help to those in need. only government institution that renders care The SLMC-GC associates, in partnership with the SLMC Foundation, visited Elsie Gaches Village and rehabilitation to abandoned, neglected, in Alabang to conduct an outreach activity and interaction last May 16. A total of 42 children aged dependent, and foundling children as well as six years old and above with Autism Spectrum Disorder enjoyed a whole day of art classes, adults with special needs such as those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and other intellectual disabilities and neuro-developmental disorders. Meanwhile, BAYANIHAN: PATHWAY TO EXCELLENCE COMMUNITY of the Nursing Care 04 S Y N E R G Y

June 2019 Group (NCG) Quezon City, together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and SLMC Foundation, Inc. provided health education on the most common rainy season infections/diseases like measles, chicken pox, leptospirosis and dengue at their adopted community in Brgy. Baesa, Quezon City. Attendees who are recipients of the Pantawid Pilipino Program (PPP) were given hygiene kits as token of appreciation from the Foundation and St. Luke’s Nursing Care Group Quezon City. SY N E R GY 05

June 2019 GRIN AND SHARE IT SLMC-QC ORGANIZES ANOTHER FREE DENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITY Oral health continues to be a serious public health problem in the Philippines. With this, oral care among the youth has also been a concern. Toothache is a common reason for absences among schoolchildren and this is due to bad oral hygiene and lack of proper dental care. However, availing dental services in the country is not much a top priority among the marginalized sector. The best we can do is to recognize the need to provide accessible dental care through free dental activities to poor communities. For the fifth consecutive year, the Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery Services (DOSS), together with the Foundation, the Outpatient Department (OPD), and the Medical Social Services Department held another “Ngipin Mo-Alagang St. Luke’s” activity to culminate the annual National Dental Health month this year. 200 slots were allocated for St. Luke’s associates and their families, but the free dental activity welcomed more than the count and performed tooth extractions, fluoride varnishing, dental health lectures, and gave medicine supply as well as tokens consisting of basic dental hygiene products. St. Luke’s Foundation and Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery Services (DOSS) would like to thank the other sponsors: the Women’s Board of St. Luke’s, United Bayanihan Foundation, St. Luke’s Marketing Group and DOSS Head, Dr. Victoria S. Pangilinan, for donating the tokens and running this free annual dental activity for the fifth time. 06 S Y N E R G Y

June 2019 SY N E R GY 07

POWER OF POSITIVITY SURPASSING A DISEASE WITH HOPE AND OPTIMISM 62 year-old Elizabeth Villena underwent open cholecystectomy and is now cured of Biliary cystic disease, but it was never a smooth road to recovery. “Naiyak ako after the operation and questioned kung bakit ako nagkasakit. Pero hindi ko ininda kasi nagta-trabaho ako.” Biliary cystic disease, though uncommon, can present at a wide range of ages with a wide range of symptoms. Choledochal cysts are associated with the development of both cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer. Thus, most biliary cystic diseases are best managed operatively with the consideration of other factors like age, presenting symptoms, cyst type, associated biliary stones, etc. Villena and her husband have been working hard for their son, who is now on his third year in college, but the funds for her operations affected the entire family situation. Thanks to the Foundation, she and her family were able to surpass this particular life hurdle and is now undergoing monitoring to ensure total recovery. “’I can’t die yet. Nag-aaral pa anak ko. ‘Yung mga doctor dito, wala silang problema sa’kin. Lahat sila mababait. And they encourage you to keep thinking positive. Habang may buhay, may pag-asa.” 08 S Y N E R G Y

June 2019 MOVING FOR LIFE A TWO-TIME STROKE SURVIVOR CONTINUES TO TAKE HIS STEPS IN LIFE THROUGH PERSEVERANCE AND PRAYERS Rogelio Pador was administered with Clopidogrel Hospital (PGH) sa amin kaya dito na lang kami. At for blood thinning after being admitted to the same time, inoffer din sa’min ng Social Services St. Luke’s via emergency due to his Subacute na meron pa naman daw fundings ang Foundation Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Infarct. A former kung hindi na kaya ‘yung billings.” Pador has cashier, he first suffered a stroke in 2003 and was forced to quit, leaving his wife, Penelope, all the now recovered and is in a much better condition, financial responsibilities in the family through making barbecue and relying on the couple’s attending monthly checkups with his assigned pension. The same fate happened in 2016 but this time, the family decided to admit him to St. Luke’s. doctors to monitor his psychomotor abilities. His “Masyadong malayo ‘yung Philippine General wife has been a volunteer at St. Luke’s for 11 years. “Malaki po talaga naitulong ng Foundation sa amin. Pati ‘yung isang anak ko napa-check ko din dito, thanks to the Foundation,” according to Penelope. SY N E R GY 09