HOW A DOCTOR FOUND HEALING FOR HER CANCER
Cancer may be a tough disease to fight, but there are survivors to prove that it is not impossible to overcome. Dr. Gia Sison, a doctor specializing in Occupational Medicine, social media influencer and host of CNN Philippines’ digital series G Talks, has been cancer-free since 2013.
In an interview, she shared the values and the right mindset that helped her win against stage 2 breast cancer.
“In going through cancer, it is important to take it slow. Be grateful for the small things. From diagnosis to treatment, the small milestones matter. I learned to be thankful if I didn’t vomit after a chemo session or if I got appetite at all that would push me to eat,” said Dr. Sison.
She also underscored the value of family. “You can’t fight this alone. You need a strong support system and you usually get this from your family,” she said.
It was particularly challenging for Dr. Gia to jump roles — from being a doctor to being a patient. At first, she found it hard to face her condition. “I discovered the lump on my left breast incidentally. I knew right away that it was breast cancer. It had the characteristics of breast cancer — the lump was fixed, it had no definite shape and it was big. I wanted to have a mastectomy right away, before even having a biopsy.”
Dr. Sison’s friend, who’s also a doctor, convinced her to go through the whole process — from diagnosis to treatment.
“I had the biopsy and found out that I had stage 2 breast cancer. My diagnosis made me realize firsthand the importance of early testing. The earlier the cancer stage, the easier it is to treat. Early detection really saves lives. I’m scared for myself until now because I undergo testing every year to ensure that my disease hasn’t recurred. But it really takes courage to face your fears,” she stressed.
Dr. Sison underwent six cycles of chemotherapy with the faith that her journey with the disease would soon be over and that she would live. “Faith kept me going. Faith will help a lot in making the journey better, that there is something greater than us that’s in control.”
Her experience with cancer strengthened Dr. Gia’s compassion as a doctor, especially in her dealings with patients. This also pushes her determination to advocate for patients and to form a support group for patients suffering from not just cancer, but chronic illnesses in general.
“I want to emphasize that there is hope after diagnosis. At the third chemo cycle, I wanted to stop and discontinue my treatment. But before I knew it, I was already at my sixth and final cycle. Don’t let a diagnosis define you because the brain, your mindset, can be powerful against cancer.”
Dr. Sison is a cancer patient advocate fighting with the Hope From Within: Cancer Game Plan PH, which espouses early detection, access to treatment and improved patient navigation system in the Philippines.
“Our goal is that no patient dies because they don’t have financial support and access to treatment. Everyone should get the chance to live and fight. We need funding, that is a given, and also increase access to clinical trials, to doctors and specialists, and to diagnosis and treatment facilities even in far-flung areas in the Philippines.
“We need more volunteers to help care for cancer patients and create a more centralized hub that will assist them throughout their journey with the cancer disease,” she explained.
The recently launched Hope From Within: Cancer Game Plan PH is a campaign that aims to put patients at the heart of the fight against the dreaded disease. Using powerful voices from leaders, advocates, policymakers, survivors, support groups, and patients, it boosted awareness of proper cancer care, sparking conversations and actions on how to reduce the burden of cancer-related mortalities and other challenges and to spread information and increase access to new scientifically proven treatment options such as immunotherapy and targeted therapies.
For inquiries, visit www.hopefromwithin.org.