VSMMC bares Cervical Cancer Month activities

CEBU, Philippines - In line with the Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Advocate Month Celebration, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center-Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (VSMMC- DOG) yesterday announced its month-long activities dubbed as SCARLET- MAY.

VSMMC GYN Oncologist Dr. Pherdes Galbo said that cervical cancer continues to be a major global health problem especially in the Philippines and ranks second among all cancers affecting females, next to breast cancer. Galbo said several activities have been lined-up for the celebration.

The celebration will kick off on May 5 with a “Lantern Walk” starting at 5:00 p.m. from Fuente Osmeña to the Ayala Center Terraces passing through Escario Street.

Galbo said they will use lantern because it symbolizes women as lights of the home. The activity aims to promote awareness on the value of women, the importance of their role in the society, and the need to protect their health in order for them to be productive members of the community.

Galbo said that for the rest of the days of May they will be having lectures, radio guesting, free check-up, Pap smear, colposcopy, and cryo-therapy.

“We are inviting all women that already experiencing sexual intercourse up to 65 years old to avail the free medical treatment.” Galbo said.

Galbo said that this program will make the women aware of the causes and effects of the illness for them to know how to prevent cervical cancer, to instill in their minds that this can be prevented and curable if detected in an early stage and to help them for free if they are already affected with it.

Galbo shared that this is an annual celebration that started last year but cervical cancer awareness actually started in 1998. It was originally celebrated in December but was moved to May in 2008 by the Department of Health.  (FREEMAN)