Breast of Friends

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month all over the world. And here in Manila, it was truly heartening to see retail and commercial entities, NGOs and volunteer organizations, and hotel establishments, all joining hands to raise awareness via different initiatives and efforts. After all, even if breast cancer does not have a marketing tool like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, here in the Philippines, it remains as one of the top killers. So any initiative that has research, early detection and consultation, subsidized treatment and support group activities is worth its weight in gold and good intentions. Let’s face it, breast cancer is a killer that doesn’t merely affect the one who succumbs; as it also creates rips and tears in the family fabric we hold so dear here in the Philippines. Children left motherless, families put under financial strain, husbands feeling alienated from their wives, survivors left with psychological and physical trauma — these are just some of the ways breast cancer impacts on our society.

So in the order I got to attend them: A wonderful lunch event at the Marriott brought breast cancer survivors Ann Puno, Patty Betita and Liezl Martinez up to the rostrum, as Lucerne and Marc Coblen unveiled their Pink Ribbon watch. A tie-up with MasterCard and Philippines Best Dressed meant that purchase of the watch via MasterCard would see a significant portion of the proceeds go to the Philippine Cancer Research Society. In the arena of breast cancer, this would help create consultation and treatment for the under privileged struck down by breast cancer. A special edition watch, the mother-of-pearl face has a Swarovski-encrusted pink ribbon, and there’s a pink silicon strap to complement the rose gold casing. Christel Slagt, global brand manager of Marc Coblen, flew in specially for the event, and joined Lucerne’s Ivan Yao in hosting the lunch.

Estée Lauder, together with Rustan’s and The Peninsula Manila, held its annual Charity Auction at the Rigodon Ballroom. By now an institution in the year’s social calendar, this event saw record figures being raised via auction — amounts all going to Estée Lauder’s sponsoring and contributing to organizations and activities that have breast cancer awareness as their advocacy. As with other years, this was a fine example of society giving back, and I loved how the night started with a short film Estée Lauder had created that featured survivors, and those left behind, talking about how breast cancer had come into their lives — how so much research is still needed to help reduce the number of deaths resulting from breast cancer. Yes, early detection is one way to avoid it becoming a fatal affliction; but the fact remains that in segments of our society, the cost of examination and treatment is still prohibitive. A number of Filipinas will hide the fact that they have breast cancer — or not even know until it is too late.

And then, at the Raffles Makati, there was ICanServe Foundation Inc. celebrating its 15th year of promoting breast cancer awareness via grassroots self-examination seminars, support group activities, and assisting on consultations and treatment for those in desperate straits — its slogan, Saving Lives, Keeping Families Whole. ICS has always been close to my heart, and that dates back to the very first time Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala put up the foundation. My mother passed away in 1996 from peritoneal cancer, at an advanced stage when detected. She came from a generation that, more often than not, would retreat into family, shunning friends and any socializing, upon discovering that one was “sick.” While my father, and all of us, tried to be there for her every step of the way, I could see it was a lonely, confusing, four-month battle. And at some level, the memory of her ordeal spurred me to throw my support and write about ICanServe every chance I had.

In 2006 my Ate had her own scare and battle with breast cancer, and subsequent to her treatment and recovery, she found fulfillment in being involved with ICS, and presently sits on the board of the foundation. So yes, nepotism rules in my family; but beyond the blatant favoritism, there is the earnest effort and work I see members of ICS voluntarily put into their “foundation-life.” Bettina Osmeña, Bibeth Orteza Siguion-Reyna, Crisann Celdran, Toni Abad — these are just some of the personal friends/survivors I know who commit time to keeping the spirit of the foundation alive. And as my sister, Libet Virata, explained, the 15th anniversary celebration was not going to be a fundraising event. Rather, it would be a party for all the members/survivors, a celebration of life, post-breast cancer. And that’s why ICS was more than grateful to Raffles Makati for providing the venue, and major sponsors Ever Bilena, MyPhone and EvoLife for coming through and making major contributions for the cause. A roster of corporate and retail friends (Pandora, Havaianas, Pureology, AWC, Mundipharma, Star Billiards, Brother, Leslie and Rudy Project) chipped in with prizes that would be raffled throughout the night. And Ogie Alcasid, Bituin Escalante, 8Track, AKA Jam, and Angeli, Fe and Eva of Music and Magic all provided musical entertainment.

Truly it was a party that made your heart expand, made your eyes moist. A contingent of ICS members from Cebu flew in just for the event, telling Libet at the end, that was the most fun they had enjoyed in a long time, as one survivor gushed, “...even better than you-know-what!” The board members had made their ICS T-shirts the dress code, so that economic disparities would be left at home, and I loved how one of the women, smiling, exclaimed in the vernacular “Joking aside, who would think that I would have to get breast cancer in order to be able to enjoy a dinner in a hotel like the Raffles.” It’s that kind of camaraderie that filled the Ballroom that night. And wouldn’t you know it, but just a few days later, ICS was back at work, conducting a self-examination seminar, which they call Ating Dibdibin in Muntinlupa City. It’s this kind of tireless work that leaves me in admiration of what Kara and ICS have created — knowing that every centavo being contributed is going a long way.

So, yes, breast cancer awareness advocacies can come from many directions and in various forms; and hopefully, we find ways to support any number of them — they need as many “Breast Friends” as they can find.