RETIRED TEACHER FIGHTS CANCER, GETS HELP IN CANCER FESTIVAL
Crisanta Pañares, 68, has been fighting breast cancer in recent years. She had taught for 30 years in a public school in Daanbantayan, making her an institution among the locals, now professionals and experts themselves. With her daughter, she travels all of 130 kilometers from her town to Cebu City to seek treatment. She is one among those who attended the Cancer Festival, an off-shoot of the Cancer Awareness Month organized by the St. Stamford International Medical Center and Intellicare at the Mandarin Plaza Hotel. The festival offers free consultations and lectures on modern treatments offered in the Modern Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China.
Last Saturday morning’s sunrise did not only turn the skies into a canvass of yellow, but also etched warm, serene smiles on the faces of a mother and daughter traveling from Daanbantayan to Cebu City.
To a few of the passengers, the picture of an elderly mother leaning on her adult daughter’s shoulders with hands clasped together transcended age and maternal devotion.
The two could be seen huffing their shoulders in synchronization, perhaps sharing an inside joke or a fond memory between hushed conversations.
But unknown to the other passengers was that in between the laughs and entwined fingers were whispers of encouragement and hope.
Crisanta Pañares is a 68-yearold retired school principal who was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2016.
Maam Pañares to many of the locals in Daanbantayan, she helped produced several professionals and experts in her 30 years of teaching.
The news of her falling ill have pierced the hearts of her neighbors, friends and many former classroom kids, but Pañares stood firm.
“I saw hope, instead of despair,” she told SunStar Cebu.
Since last year, Pañares has been crossing the close to 130-kilometer distance between their town to Cebu City together with her daughter for her treatment.
Pañares said she prefers to take the herbal treatment offered for cancer patients in a local medical institution as it is less painful
It (lecture) enlightened and made me more optimistic. Education about cancer not only develops empathy but also awareness CRISANTA PAÑARES Cancer patient
than undergoing surgery.
Her daughter has been searching every nook and cranny of Cebu for a painless treatment for her mother.
Her inquisitiveness eventually led her to a post in social media announcing a Cancer Festival that offers lectures and free medical consultations.
The same thirst to acquire more treatment options was also what led Rose (real name withheld) to the same event.
Rose’s retired 82-year-old American husband was diagnosed with stage three cancer last year
“Cancer is a malicious disease that robs your loved ones like a thief in the night. While I still can, I won’t stop ‘til we find what we see is best for my husband,” she said.
Last Saturday, the St. Stamford International Medical Center along with Intellicare hosted the Cancer Festival in line with the Cancer Awareness Month at the Mandarin Plaza Hotel.
Free consultations and a lecture on modern treatments offered in the Modern Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China were given to the attendees.
Among the medical technologies introduced to treat cancer were the nano-knife procedure, seed implantation, cryotherapy, micro-catheter superselection and vacuum-assisted excision.
Dr. Bai Haishan, Modern Cancer Hospital medical invasive department director, said that cancer patients, especially those who were diagnosed at a later stage, should not be afraid.
“Don’t panic because treatment is available. There is a chance to a better quality of life,” he said.