CitySavings’ Project Pink Supports Women’s Month

“Breast cancer can affect anyone. Everyone is at risk. The only solution to breast cancer is early detection.” This was the statement of Dr. Saleshe Tracy Anne Fernandez, a breast cancer awareness advocate, who was the guest speaker during the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 7 leg of Project Pink, a breast cancer awareness forum, and the signature Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings) last March 28 at Summit Circle Hotel, Cebu City.

Dr. Fernandez underscored the reality that breast cancer mostly affects women and is not preventable. She said that while a lot of women lose this battle, it is also important to know that detecting it early increases the chances of a patient’s survival.

Fear, Dr. Fernandez said, is one of the main reasons why many women refuse to have themselves checked. Cost of treatment is another reason.

More than 60 representatives from the DepEd Divisions of Lapu-Lapu, Naga, Minglanilla, Consolacion and Liloan took part in the forum.

As part of the celebration of National Women’s Month, CitySavings staged six Project Pink fora spread across the country. The Cebu leg is the fifth stop and was held in cooperation with DepEd Region 7 and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. – Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (RAFI – EJACC).

The bank also had Project Pink runs in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental (March 5), Catarman, Northern Samar (March 22), Tagum City, Davao del Norte (March 27), Dasmariñas City, Cavite (March 27), and Calamba City, Laguna (March 29).

One of the attendees, Evangelina Largo, Supervising Principal of Tinaan National High School and Tinaan Senior High School from the Division of Naga, has been suffering from ovarian cysts for the past two years.

Largo said she was afraid at the thought of medical procedures. However, the talk by Dr. Fernandez inspired her to start thinking about her well-being and she is now ready to go back for consultation.

“After listening to Dr. Fernandez and the assurance she gave us made me realize that we have to overcome our fears. Joining CitySavings’ Project Pink forum gave me the confidence to go and seek medical help. I speak in behalf of many teachers, who I’m sure share the same concerns and fear,” Largo said.

In his opening statement, CitySavings’ Regional Business Head for Central Visayas Ryan Bascug said that the alarming cases of breast cancer among teachers is one of the reasons why the bank decided to advocate for an information drive. The initiative is done in the hopes of educating the teachers with the correct information about this disease.

Meanwhile, RAFI – EJACC Project Coordinator Ronald Delos Reyes said that teachers, a lot whom are women, are scared not just of knowing how bad the disease may have hit them but also of the cost.

“As women, they would rather buy food than use the money for check-up. But they should not worry because there are organizations that are willing to help. And as what has been emphasized – have yourself checked the moment you feel a lump whether big or small” said Delos Reyes. RAFI-EJACC has been helping cancer patients in Cebu Province since 1988.

Concluding her talk, Dr. Fernandez told the educators that “We are all women here. Most of us have kids. Look at your kids, look at your family. They should be enough reason for you to want to live longer. You have so much to live for.” (by Marian Baring)