MDH Cancer Support Group – A Proposal

 

Reynaldo O. Joson, MD

2001

 

Situational Analysis

 

            The Tumor Board under the leadership of Dr. Elsie Dancel has started to form a cancer support group in MDH in 2001.

 

            It also has plan to hold a Christmas Party for patients with cancer.

 

            Dr. Joson has a Cancer Crusaders Club which he formed in 1988.  Every year since 1988, the Cancer Crusaders Club has been holding an Annual Get-Together cum Christmas Party every first Sunday of December in Manila Doctors Hospital conference hall (Tangco Hall since it was constructed in 1991).

 

            The Cancer Crusaders Club is Dr. Joson’s way of providing psychosocial therapy to cancer patients.  Although majority of the attendees are patients of Dr. Joson, any cancer patient who expresses desire to attend are welcome.  Attendance is free of charge.  The use of Tangco Hall is also free of charge.  The expenses usually consists of mails, decorative materials for the conference hall, and lunch.  These have been shouldered by Dr. Joson since 1988.

 

            The Annual Get-Together and Christmas Party of the Cancer Crusaders Club has been going on without fail since 1988.  This year, in October, 2001, Dr. Joson decided to terminate the yearly get-together since he wanted to donate PhP 10,000 (his usual expense in the get-together party) to the breast cancer surgical mission in Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.  However, when the members of the Cancer Crusaders Club heard of Dr. Joson’s plan, they prevailed upon him to push through with the 14th Get-Together on December 1, 2001 volunteering to help shoulder the expense. 

 

A Cancer Crusader in the person of Ms. Joy de Castro, who is a professional event organizer, has offered to make the 14th Annual Get-Together  “very special” and “professionally organized”.  Ms. Nanette Inventor has accepted to facilitate and emcee the 14th Get-Together of the Cancer Crusaders Club for free.

 

 During this time too, Dr. Dancel has asked Dr. Joson’s advice on the proposed Christmas Party of the MDH cancer support group.  Dr. Dancel has also expressed concerns in getting a good attendance. 

 

In a meeting among Dr. Dancel, Dr. Joson, and Ms. Joy de Castro on October 25, 2001, it was agreed that:

 

1.      The Cancer Crusaders Club Annual Get-Together will push through on December 2, 2002 in MDH Tangco Hall.

2.      All oncologists (surgical, medical, orthopedic, gynecologic, etc) of MDH, especially those in the Tumor Board, will be encouraged to participate by inviting their cancer patients to attend the get-together.

3.      Pending approval by the Tumor Board and MDH Top Management, the Crusaders Cancer Club will eventually be the MDH cancer support group.  It will be renamed as MDH Cancer Crusaders Club.

4.      Dr. Dancel as the Tumor Board Chairperson will request the Administration to shoulder all the expenses of the get-together, particularly, the lunch for 100 persons.

 

The MDH Cancer Support Group and the Proposed MDH Cancer Program

 

            Heretofore, there has been NO structured cancer program in MDH.  The program just consists of having cancer specialists in the hospital and a Tumor Board.  The latter was established merely as a response to the requirement of Department of Health.

 

There is a need to formulate an MDH Cancer Program especially in view of the need to project the new MDH as well as the present MDH as a cancer center.

 

Attached is a proposed MDH Cancer Program based on a MDH Business Plan formulated by the Executive Board of the Quality Council as part of the ISO preparation.

 

In the proposed MDH Cancer Program, it is recommended that MDH establishes an MDH Cancer Support Group that will be known (to the public) as MDH primary social responsibility project in the field of cancer.

 

There is a recommendation to adopt Dr. Joson’s Cancer Crusader Club as MDH cancer support group.   This is for deliberation and approval by MDH Top Management.