My good friend and media colleague Lourdes Fabian, former editor of the defunct Moviestar Magazine, is a heart patient survivor at the Philippine Heart Center.
On January 4 this year, she experienced what she thought was a mild stroke which eventually led to thrombectomy, an emergency procedure to remove blood clots in the brain to help blood to flow normally in her body.
We, her friends, didn’t know what exactly happened to her. Maybe she suffered an acute stroke, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure -- or maybe all together – because any of these could cause blood clots in the brain.
But the good thing is she was operated on immediately and had a new lease in life. Three weeks after the procedure, we were relieved to see her responding positively. Though very weak, she could talk normally and she recognized us.
One month and 10 days after, on February 14, we visited Lourdes at home, and we're more than happy to see her fast recovery progress. She can now walk unaided, though slowly, with only her right arm still needing further therapy.
Lourdes' confinement and treatment at PHC amounted to a whooping P1-M hospitalization cost. Thanks to our many friends in the entertainment industry who knocked heaven (to pray for her!) and the politicians’ doors to supply her with guarantee letters (GLs) to cover the cost of her medical expenses. The good public servants, God bless them!, have given Lourdes more than enough. Thank you so much!
The bill was already covered when another Senator sent in a generous amount of P500, 000 GL which Lourdes is now using for her maintenance & other medicines, therapy, medical checkups, and doctors' fee all being at the Heart Center until December 2026!
I'm sharing this because I believe Lourdes is one of the many success stories of PHC which is celebrating its 50th anniversary on February 14, Valentines Day.
Lourdes has been under the care of her cardiologist, Dr. Catherine Tan, for years prior to the emergency. The thrombectomy procedure on her was done by Dr. Marvin Tamaña in close supervision with her neurologist Dr. Maricar Yumul. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!
PHC turns 50
Before visiting Lourdes on V-Day, this writer attended the press conference of PHC's golden year celebration and I couldn’t resist sharing their success story in the life of my friend.
During the event, heads of the esteemed institution gathered in celebration of its 50th anniversary, highlighting a remarkable journey of pioneering heart health breakthroughs, expanded regional services, and a steadfast commitment to overcoming challenges. This milestone definitely underscores the triumphs and trials that have shaped its legacy, as PHC continues to champion innovative solutions and enhance logistics to better serve patients nationwide.
The panel discussion with the media was graced by Executive Director Dr. Avelino Aventura Jr., Chairman Dr. Juliet Balderas, Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services Dr. Antonio Pascual, Manager of Pediatric Cardiology Department Dr. Christopher Cheng, Manager of the Department of Surgery & Anesthesia Dr. Ceres Canto, and Chief of the Pediatric Cardiac Rehabilitation Section Dr. Samuel Andin.
PHC was established through Presidential Decree 673. It was established to serve as an institution committed to caring for patients with heart issues but it is also equipped to render the best possible care for most other illnesses.
It ranks as one of the leading medical institutions in Asia for the medical and surgical treatment of heart diseases. is deeply involved in cardiovascular research, training and education, and public information. It offers training programs not only for aspiring heart specialists but also for private and government medical practitioners. It engages in various research on the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases and undertakes nationwide information programs on the heart and heart care.
 |
| At the PHC’s golden legacy presentation, from left: Dr. Samuel Andin, Dr. Antonio Pascual and Dr. Avenilo Aventura, Dr. Christopher Cheng, and Dr. Ceres Canto Jr. The event carried the theme ‘Golden Legacy Lingers On.’ |
Golden Legacy
Dr. Aventura, a namesake of her father, Dr. Avelino Aventura Sr., who was the center’s first executive director, shared the PHC's humble beginnings: "It started as the first heart center for Asia with only four operating rooms."
That was the golden age of cardiology and the PHC wants to regain that status back. Dr. Cheng said: "We want to keep up with our status with the Asia-Pacific since other Asian countries have since developed their heart centers."
PHC vows to expand its reach and expertise across the country. "We wanted to establish a heart center per region," said Dr. Balderas. Since 2016, she said, the center has established five regional centers and wants to open more. Those regional centers' nurses and doctors are all trained at PHC before being deployed in their respective regions.
By expanding their reach, the PHC expects to offer their services to those who have limited access to health institutions that offer the same services. “Under the Regional Heart Center Development Program, these facilities would be ready to become a full-blown heart center,” she added.
Currently, PHC has 16,000 admissions and 5,000 cardiovascular services operations per year. Cheng said: "We have a lot of operations. Numbers-wise, we are not No. 1 in Asia, but we are up there."
But there is a lack of funding from the government, Aventura said. "We can't accommodate enough patients, 12 to 20 patients a day with only 10 operating rooms is not enough," he said.
To accommodate more patients, the PHC is open to expanding its services online. Balderas said that they are still waiting for approval of their own e-Konsulta for online consultations. This is to decongest the hospital lines and allow people to get consultations at their own homes.
The center is also open to using artificial intelligence. "AI is the next step for patients who do not need F2F (face-to-face) contact with a physician; their data is all we need, and we should be ready for that eventuality. However, we need more equipment and funding," said Cheng.
The PHC also noted that in some of its departments, it already integrates AI as part of their system through their simulation packages. It may not yet use robotics but in diagnostics and training, AI is already used.
 |
| This writer (left) and media friend Evelyn, visited Lourdes (center) on V-Day 2025, one month & 10 days after her operation and confinement at PHC |
Comments
Post a Comment