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WHAT
makes up for one’s loss? For Bobbit Suntay, setting up
The Carewell Community was his way of honoring his wife
whose death he is still trying to fill in that special
corner of his heart. With the affection he speaks of his
late wife, Jackie Fernandez, Bobbit talks animatedly
about Carewell, a nonprofit foundation that provides
support, education and hope to persons with cancer and
their loved ones. After all, the very essence of the
cancer support group is informed by Jackie.
The year
was 2003 when Bobbit was hit by a triple whammy. It was
then when three of his loved ones were diagnosed with
the Big C. Foremost was his wife, Jackie, whom they
found out had ovarian cancer during a visit to her
doctor here in Manila. At that time, both husband and
wife were living in Boston for further studies: Jackie,
who was an eye surgeon, was in Harvard for a
postdoctorate course, while Bobbit was taking his
doctorate in education.
The
couple were having the best time of their lives, until
this single visit to her OB-gynecologist. They
immediately flew back to Boston to take advantage of
their insurance coverage and to get Jackie urgent
medical attention. It was during one of Jackie’s
chemotherapy sessions when they got to talk to the
social worker assigned to Jackie. It was from this
social worker that they learned about The Wellness
Community (TWC).
 “I
vividly remember what the social worker told us: that
we were lucky to be in one of the best hospitals
[Dana-Farber Cancer Institute] and to have the best
doctors who will take care of you,” Bobbit recalls. But
what struck them most was what the social worker said
next, “But you need something to take care of your
heart.” She told the couple about TWC.
Founded
in 1982 TWC is an international nonprofit organization
dedicated to providing free support, education and hope
to people with cancer and their loved ones. Through
participation in professionally led support groups,
educational workshops, nutrition and exercise programs,
and stress-reduction classes, people affected by cancer
learn vital skills that enable them to regain control,
reduce isolation and restore hope regardless of the
stage of the disease. “Jackie instantly fell in love
with the place,” Bobbit recalls. “We found a support
group that truly understood what we were going through.”
Meanwhile, in Manila, the news did not get any better as
they were informed that Jackie’s dad was afflicted with
advanced pancreatic cancer. Shortly after, it was
Bobbit’s dad who was also diagnosed with advanced
prostrate cancer.
It was
out of this desire to let cancer patients and their
loved ones know about TWC that Carewell was born. The
couple asked and got permission from TWC to put up an
affiliate here in the Philippines. Though Carewell
adopts some programs of TWC, it also has its own modules
that are unique to Manila. “We still get to train with
them but there are no obligations or requirements
whatsoever.
“Carewell was a dream project for both of us. We got our
financial start by 2004 and the organization was already
fully operational in 2007,” Bobbit recounts. But Jackie
never lived to see Carewell spread its wings. She passed
on in 2005. “There were other deaths in 2004 and 2005 [Bobbit’s
father and father-in-law also passed away,
respectively], but I had faith that something good will
come out of this, that I can turn those tragic
experiences into something positive,” Bobbit says.
Today
Carewell is throbbing and thriving with people and
activities in their busy office, donated by a generous
benefactor in Makati. Dr. Cherry Librojo, a volunteer
since Carewell started, appeals to other doctors to “pay
it forward” by doing volunteer services. “It is sad that
we have seen the commercialization of this profession,
but you can always balance things out by paying it
forward,” said the surgeon, whose expertise is in
plastic and reconstructive surgery. Since their launch
in May 2007, they have done several fundraising events
for the organization. “Every thing that Carewell does is
free of charge, so fundraising is a major thing”
explains Bobbit.
This
year they have lined up activities that are geared
toward their major event to be held on October 2 at the
Manila Polo Club. Dubbed as Carewell Star Night, the
event will honor the cancer survivors and their “star[s]”
who have steadfastly stood by and faithfully walked
alongside their loved ones with cancer through every
twist and turns of their harrowing journey.” The event
will have an excerpt of a movie by Marilou Diaz-Abaya,
herself a cancer survivor, which stars the patients of
Carewell. A special song composed by Nonong Buencamino,
Floy Quintos and Marilou will be rendered by Christopher
de Leon. Ryan Cayabyab will also conduct a concert with
his singers and promises to deliver “as many encores as
the audience wants.” Melissa de Leon has volunteered to
host the affair.
Leading
up to this event is the photo exhibit Portraits of Hope:
A Photo Exhibit of Carewell Survivors and their Stars,
which is ongoing until September 30 at The Power Plant
Mall in Rockwell Center. Renowned photographer Wig
Tysmans did the portraits of the cancer survivors and
their “stars.” For Wig, it was like coming full circle
as it was Jackie who was instrumental in recommending a
good eye doctor to look after Wig’s youngest daughter
who had an eye problem.
“I
haven’t seen Bobbit in ages until I bumped into him and
he asked me to do a session for Carewell’s members,” Wig
recalls. The photographer, whose parents also died of
cancer, says that “it would have been easy for me to
shoot their pain, but that is not what I saw. I saw
victorious people, and I hope the photographs send out
the messages of hope, strength and, above all, faith.”
For
Bobbit, Carewell has not only eased the pain that cancer
had wrought in his heart. It has also instilled Jackie’s
memory in each and every person that the organization,
which she helped establish, has touched. |
