By JENA RAJNI CAROLINE A. EMPEÑO | September 14, 2025

OLONGAPO CITY — More than 70 women from Zambales and Olongapo City benefited from a gynecologic cancer awareness mission held on Sept. 12-13 at the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital in this city.

The two-day activity organized by the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists of the Philippines (SGOP) featured free check-ups, biopsies for patients with suspected cancer cases, and surgeries.

Dr. Louella “Lala” Aquino, a municipal councilor in San Marcelino, Zambales, who supported the mission with her MediSpecialist Clinic staff, said 40 patients underwent free gynecological check-ups and VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid) screening.

Of these, 10 were eventually recommended for surgical procedures to address serious conditions like ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, pelvic infection, and pelvic organ prolapse, Aquino said.

The mission, which sought to raise awareness on gynecological cancer, also drew support from the Rotary Club of San Marcelino, Rotary Club of Subic Pearl, and the Philippine College of Occupational Medicine.

Alongside check-ups and surgeries, the mission featured a lay forum on gynecologic cancers and a medical symposium attended by 20 obstetrician-gynecologists, who earned continuing professional development (CPD) units and certificates.

To ensure the program’s continued impact beyond the two-day event, Dr. Aquino brought along barangay health workers from San Marcelino for training, preparing them to extend cancer awareness program and patient referrals in their communities.

“Our barangay health workers will serve as our ‘case-finding warriors’,” Aquino said. “They would help identify women at risk and link them to specialists, so that we can detect cancers earlier and save more lives.”

Organizers of the mission had emphasized that active case-finding is a crucial step in early detection.

While limited resources for biopsies posed a challenge, the mission succeeded in strengthening networks of care and bringing essential services closer to women in Zambales and Olongapo.

Aquino also highlighted the broader importance of prevention, stressing that women’s health should always be a priority.

“Prevention is the key. Gynecologic cancers can be detected early, and many lives can be saved if women take that first step to consult their doctor,” she pointed out. “I encourage every woman to have regular check-ups and Pap smears, and to never ignore the warning signs.”

“As both a doctor and a public servant, my commitment is to help bring these services closer to our communities so that no woman is left behind when it comes to healthcare,” Aquino also said. 