THE GOVERNMENT-owned Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City is setting up a breast clinic in partnership with Avon Philippines. The clinic, to be funded by Avon, aims to offer free breast consultation and ultrasound screening to more women, as well as men, in the Davao Region. Avon Philippines General Manager Razvan Diratian said they would allocate around P2.2 million to set up of the clinic and equipment procurement. “We decided to come here as SPMC is the biggest in Mindanao. This is the first hospital outside Manila,” Mr. Diratian said during the partnership signing with SPMC. “Not only that, we also want to create awareness on the importance of early protection and detection against breast cancer,” he added. Dr. Leopoldo J. Vega, SPMC chief of hospital, for his part, said with the additional ultrasound machine, they would be able to cater to up to 50 patients a day for breast cancer ultrasound diagnostics. “This is just diagnostics ultrasound making sure that the proper treatment and management is given for breast cancer patients,” Mr. Vega said. Avon launched its Kiss Goodbye To Breast Cancer campaign in 2002. Dr. Corazon A. Ngelangel, president of the Philippine Cancer Society, said there are breast cancer patients as young as 18 years old.— Maya M. Padillo

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