October 16 - 31, 2018
BREAST CANCER
FROM PAGE 7
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
cancer
patient dies.
“The sad part is that in the
Philippines, 70 percent of those who
die of the disease do so because
they have not received any kind of
treatment,” he laments.
He says that the good news is that
very early breast cancer detection can
result in better treatment outcomes
and will require less invasive
procedures. Unfortunately, most
patients often think that the disease is
immediately synonymous with death
and mutilation.
“We have to break the cycle
of fear about breast cancer with
awareness, correct information, and
the appropriate treatment. Most recent
statistics show that the survival rate for
very early detected breast cancer is 99
percent,” Dr. San Agustin notes.
There are a lot of misconceptions
about breast cancer that he hopes
to correct and modern approaches
to treatment that the state-of-the-art
Asia Breast Center at Centuria Medical
Makati, which he heads, can give. It’s
the first free-standing, ambulatory
comprehensive breast cancer care
center in the Philippines and in the
region that is affiliated with a major
cancer institution in the United
States, and it is dedicated solely to
the management of breast diseases.
This center, located at the eighth
floor of Centuria Medical, is manned
by a team of US-trained Filipino
physicians led by Dr. San Agustin
who has 45 years of experience in
medicine and surgery, in affiliation with
the Cancer Program of Morristown
Medical Center. Morristown is rated
as one of the top five hospitals in the
greater New York Metropolitan area
and one of the top 50 hospitals in the
United States.
A strong advocate for a
multidisciplinary approach in the
management of breast cancer, Dr.
San Agustin has been recognized by
the “Best Doctors” ranking service
for breast surgery. The Asian Breast
Center is one of the first breast centers
outside the US that strictly adheres to
the National Comprehensive Cancer
Network’s (NCCN) guidelines.
Modern facilities and excellent
services, from preventive care to
early detection and treatment of
breast cancer, are made available.
Its services include early screening
tests, radiation therapy, breast and
cosmetology services, counseling,
patient education, and close post-
operative
follow-up
supportive
services.
The center is also involved in charity
work through an entrepreneurial
model of “For-profit-for-charity.” The
profits from the unit will go to its
network of partner hospitals for breast
cancer screenings and treatments for
indigent women, so they can also
have access to quality healthcare. The
first beneficiaries of the center are
the indigent patients of De La Salle
University Hospital.
Helping Dr. San Agustin in this
cause is his team of highly trained
Filipino doctors and experts including
Dr. Sammy Ang, Dr. Ed Santos, and Dr.
Max Basco, as well as private citizens
including business leaders Ramon del
Rosario Jr., Jose E.B. Antonio, and
Amb. Jose L. Cuisia.
And happy news… mammography
to detect any abnormalities in our
LOCAL NEWS
breasts need not be painful anymore.
Go to the Asian breast Center for their
newest equipment for a “no aray” but
more effective machine. Do you know
that Pinays have more fat cells in their
breasts even if we have smaller sizes
compared to Caucasian women?
Fat cells make it harder to detect
cancerous lumps.
According to Dr. Agustin, the key
to avoiding breast cancer—and even
after breast cancer treatments—is to
live healthy, eat less fatty foods, drink
only one glass of wine a day, drastically
cut down on sugar, exercise regularly,
be less stressed, don’t hate or be
angry. In other words, love more!
Surrey Tree Lighting Festival
returns to Civic Plaza for 8th
annual celebration
Free family event offers holiday
market and lighting of 58-foot
Christmas tree
Surrey, B.C. – Residents and
visitors are invited to celebrate the
start of the holiday season at the
Surrey Tree Lighting Festival taking
place Saturday, November 24 between
noon and 7 p.m. at Surrey Civic
Plaza. The lighting of the 58-foot tall
Christmas tree—adorned with giant
holiday decorations, lights and a star
tree-topper—will be aired live on CTV
Vancouver at 6:30 p.m.
Presented by Coast Capital
Savings, the free annual community
event will host a holiday market
featuring local vendors and crafters,
free photos with Santa, cookie
decorating and a variety of family-
friendly attractions. The Holiday Fun
Zone on University Drive will offer food
trucks and action-packed activities,
including road hockey, soccer,
inflatables and amusement rides.
“We are so pleased to once
again partner with the City of Surrey
to present the Surrey Tree Lighting
Festival, a great event that brings
families and the community together
to kick off the holiday season,” said
Maureen Young, Director, Community
Leadership at Coast Capital Savings.
“Coast Capital Savings is excited to
support this holiday tradition that
aligns so well with our commitment to
build a richer future for youth in our
communities.”
In addition to free activities,
attendees will be treated to free live
musical performances and children’s
entertainers. Urban gospel and R&B
singer Warren Dean Flandez will be
joined by a 10-piece choir to headline
the Main Stage before and after the
inaugural tree lighting. Additional
performers include soul singer Dawn
Pemberton, award winning children’s
performer and songwriter Jessie
Farrell, and indie soul-pop band
Lovecoast. Holiday choirs will perform
on the Tree Riser Stage, Snowflake
Stage and in the City Centre Library.
The Surrey Food Bank, Surrey
Christmas Bureau, Sophie’s Place and
the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable
Society will be on site collecting
donations. For more information and
performance schedules, including
Santa’s arrival time, visit surrey.ca/
treelighting.
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