Two major operations, done two months apart and cancer cannot put a strong man down.

SIXTY NINE-year-old farmer, Cesar R. Panganiban of Barangay Sta. Cruz, San Pablo City, Laguna values health insurance so much that he became a member of PhilHealth’s different membership categories. His membership started with the SSS Medicare Program where his land tenants enrolled him. He became a beneficiary of PhilHealth’s Indigent Program in 2007 and when his coverage expired, he continued his membership under the Individually Paying Program. Now at the prime of his life, he is a Lifetime Program member.

“Malaking bagay ang may PhilHealth dahil ang mahihirap ay nagagamot,” said Mamay Cesar, as he is fondly called by his neighbours.

In 2007, he thought that he had a kidney problem when he noticed that he had difficulty urinating. He consulted a physician in San Pablo City who, after a series of laboratory exams, told him that he had an enlarged prostate. He sought different opinions from other doctors in Manila who confirmed the findings of the first doctor.

He never knew that it was just the start of more health problems. August of that year, the widower and grandfather of five felt a sharp and severe abdominal pain that led to an appendectomy to remove his inflamed appendix. “Hindi ko agad naasikaso ang pagpapaopera sa prostate dahil sumakit ang aking appendix na siya munang inunang operahan sa San Pablo Medical Center. Malaki laki din ang nabawas sa bill mula sa PhilHealth,” he said.

Two months after his operation, he again went for another medical emergency. “Umatake naman yung sa apdo, napakasakit. Hindi kaya ng mga pain reliever kaya na-operahan na naman ako,” he narrated. “Dati hindi naman ako nagkakasakit, pero nung nagkasakit na, panay opera naman,” he added. He had undergone his second operation - cholecystectomy, a surgical procedure that removed his gallbladder.

It was only in 2012 that he sought treatment for his first health problem, the enlargement of his prostate gland. His doctor advised him to prepare P150,000 for the operation to be done in a government hospital in Manila but he and his children decided to go to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City. A biopsy result confirmed that he had prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer occurs when the cells of the prostate begin to grow uncontrollably. When the cells of the prostate undergo malignant change (transforming into cancerous cells), the normal cells are crowded out and affects the normal function of the prostate as well as the organs surrounding it. In advanced cases, the cancer cells may metastasize or travel to other parts of the body.*

Believing that everything happens for a reason, Mamay Cesar was relieved when the doctor informed him that PhilHealth had just launched the Z Benefits Package which includes P100,000 package for Prostate Cancer. It was providential that they chose to seek treatment at the NKTI, which happened to be one of the contracted hospitals to provide the said benefit. “Ang sabi ng doktor, pangalawa pa lamang ako sa nakakuha ng package na ito sa NKTI,” he shared.

He was very thankful to PhilHealth because he had availed of benefits during those times he needed it. “Napakagaling ng may PhilHealth. Napakalaking tulong sa mahirap na katulad ko dahil iyung ibinigay ng PhilHealth ay hindi ko mababayaran ng bigla. Saan ako kukuha ng P100,000?” he said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the caring PhilHealth employee at the Local Health Insurance Office in Quezon City. “Noong inaayos ang mga kailangan ko sa PhilHealth, tinanong (ng empleyado) kung sino ang kasama ng pasyente sa ospital at ng sinabi na wala, mabilis na inayos ang requirements sa PhilHealth,” he narrated.

Three years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he feels very fortunate to overcome his health problems. “Masuwerte pa rin ako dahil hanggang ngayon malakas pa rin ako. Tuloy tuloy lang ang pagpapa-check up, kamakailan ay nagpa-injection ako dahil tumaas ang PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen),” he said.

As the head of the family, Mamay Cesar always reminds his children about the importance of health insurance. “Sinasabi ko sa aking mga anak na huwag pababayaan ang PhilHealth. Kung maysakit o walang sakit, kailangang magbayad ka. Huwag manghihinayang na hindi nagamit ang PhilHealth. Mabuti na lamang at hindi ko pinabayaan ang PhilHealth ko”, he ended.

PhilHealth’s Z Benefit Package for Prostate Cancer provides coverage for P100,000 and may be availed of at the NKTI, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, UP-Philippine General Hospital, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Western Visayas Medical Center, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. (END) (Pinky G. Aragones)

*http://www.asianhospital.com/health-digest/cancer-prostate-cancer-learning-the-facts/#sthash.JFdPVnjS.dpuf