The screenings provided initial checks (physical assessment and ultrasound, as necessary) for breast cancer among women, educated them with health promotion strategies, and gave them guidance on how to deal with the diagnosis and its accompanying challenge/s.
January 31, 2023 — The Gender and Development Committee of the University of the Philippines College of Pharmacy (UPCP GAD) conducted cancer screenings in 2022 with its goal of empowering not just women but all genders across ages in and out of the university.
The committee chose October, the global breast cancer awareness month, to kick-start its partnership with the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS). With the global theme “Together We Rise”, the screenings provided initial checks (physical assessment and ultrasound, as necessary) for breast cancer among women, educated them with health promotion strategies, and gave them guidance on how to deal with the diagnosis and its accompanying challenge/s.
October 25, 2022
Although the activity on Oct. 25, 2022 was primarily for breast cancer awareness, cancer screening for the cervix was also later on offered together with free cryotherapy for those with positive results. That way, the cancer screening services of the PCS mobile were put to full, good use. Since the UPCP GAD shows encompassing care for all genders, prostate cancer screening was also included to make everyone realize that gender and development is truly for all. There were 61 women and 14 men served for breast/cervix and prostate cancer screenings, respectively.
UPCP GAD, UPCN GAD, and PERI-NIH GAD joined hands to empower women through health care since this is one of the crucial factors in ending violence against them.
On another similar event, the UPCP GAD still in partnership with the PCS spearheaded the collaboration with the focal persons of the Gender and Development Committees of the UP College of Nursing (UPCN) and National Institutes of Health-Philippine Eye Research Institute (NIH-PERI) to conduct breast and cervix cancer screenings.
This was cradled under the University of the Philippines Manila Center for Gender and Women’s Studies (UPM CGWS) as a shared pursuit among the colleges/offices during the 18-day campaign to end violence against women themed “United for a VAW-free Philippines”. It started November 25, 2022 here and abroad. In this event, UPCP GAD, UPCN GAD, and PERI-NIH GAD joined hands to empower women through health care since this is one of the crucial factors in ending violence against them.
Serving 42 women, the second cancer screening was conducted on November 29. Both screenings were done at the UPCP Parking lot extending to the UPCN open-air student lounge.
November 29, 2022
In this event, UPCP GAD, UPCN GAD, and PERI-NIH GAD joined hands to empower women through health care since this is one of the crucial factors in ending violence against them. The first part of the screening was held on November 25, 2022 here and abroad. Serving 42 women, the second cancer screening was conducted on November 29. Both screenings were done at the UPCP Parking lot extending to the UPCN open-air student lounge.
For 2023, the UPCP GAD envisions making these cancer screening activities a whole year program to further advocate care across genders.
Judilynn L. Niedo-Solidum | Published in the UP Manila Healthscape Issue No. 47 (January 2023)
