Christmas came early to all kids who survived heart cancer. A Christmas Party dubbed 3rd Survivors Day was held last December 8 at the Davao Medical Center (DMC) for all kids who completed and are still undergoing their chemotherapy.

“This is to observe a milestone and to show that there were patients who completed their chemo,” said Dr. Mae Dolendo, pedia and oncologist.

Earlier on that day, activities like gift giving and a rummage for the patients’ parents were staged.

Cancer is being considered the third leading cause of death in the country in 2005. Out of 426,054 deaths recorded in 2005, 77,060 (18.1 percent) were reportedly caused by diseases of the heart.

For this year, 15 kids with heart cancer finished their free chemotherapy compared to last year’s 22. The Department of Health (DOH) issued memo last October 15 for the implementation of free chemotherapy to indigent kids.

According to Dolendo, this year there were 100 new cases of kids with heart cancer.

These kids were housed in the Davao Children’s Cancer Fund Inc-House of Hope at the Department of Pediatrics of DMC.

According to Dolendo, they were supporting medical assistants to these kids through grant from the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children’s catastrophic diseases located in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dolendo said apart from the party, they also conducted activities like seminar on heart cancer early detection and education information.

The party also coincided with the 44th birthday of Dolendo. Maya M. Padillo