MaJian, my 4 year old niece is my sunshine.  She was a small ball of energy pingponging around our new clinic  exploring niches and cabinets, and asking for "only the crispy skin" of the lechon. She is my source of joy and healing.  When I got home exhausted and heartbroken, she came over to share with me her "energy" is a tight bear hug. She made me smile with her antics designing my toenails with her stickers, just like nail art.

Since college, I've always wanted to have a baby of my own. I guess God has other plans for me because I never met Mr Right. Mother's Day is my most dreaded holiday celebration because I know I'm not  mother and people still greet me Happy Mother's Day.  Then I realize that I am also a mother figure to my residents, to our scholars and to this little sprite - my niece MaJian, the strong one!

She'll wave when I leave for work "see you later alligator!" and we wave back "after a while, crocodile!"

UST MAA Cebu chapter goes to Barangay Taptap

The UST Medical Alumni Association Cebu chapter was formed last June 2019 during a dinner meeting with the Father Regent and Dean of the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the President of the UST Medical Alumni Association Dr George Co at the Seda Hotel.

We had a good turnout and officers were elected. Dr Cymmer Go (ophthalmologist) was elected the founding president.

For the very first outreach activity of the group, we decided to troop to the mountain barangay of Taptap to conduct a medical mission and feeding program.  Donations of samples of meds were solicited and supplies were collected.  We had donors for food as well.  Dr Fareda Flores donated loot bags for the kids.  Dr Mila Tolentino donated rubber slippers for the senior citizens.   Consultation and distribution of meds, as well as feeding was completed during the half day event. Until the next mission!

We had lunch and our christmas get-together at the farm of Dr Cymmer Go in the same barangay. Overall, the feeling was a job well done aligning with Thomasian mission of competence, compassion and commitment.

Students of the University of San Carlos reach out and share their blessings with the pupils of our Balay Bata Centers in barangay Alaska Mambaling and in barangay Kinasang-an.  Thank you very much!

Thank you to our sponsors!

The Share A Child Movement Inc conducted its General Assembly and celebrated its Christmas Party.  This event was made possible by the donations from consultants and residents of the VSMMC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  When we realized that we didn't have sufficient funds to pay for food and gift packs for the scholars, we turned to friends, donors and benefactors.  Luckily, many responded and there was enough for everyone!

Truly, as Fr Randy Figueracion mentioned in his sermon during the holy mass, just when you feel down, alone and abandoned, you realize that God is with you and He will provide.  God bless our donors for their generosity!

World AIDS Day: Communities make the difference!

In a few hours, we will be celebrating WORLD AIDS DAY. World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease. As of July 2019, there have been 69,512 total reported cases in the Philippines since 1984 with 3,514 reported AIDS-related deaths. More than a third of new cases occur among our youth ages 15-24 years old, mostly among those males having sex with males. Transmission can occur in three ways: (1) thru unprotected penetrative sexual intercourse with an infected individual; (2) thru injection of infected blood and (3) from an infected mother to her unborn child during pregnancy, during labor and delivery and thru breastfeeding. Body fluids that can transmit HIV include seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, blood, and breastmilk. Preventing HIV transmission includes ABCDE: A - abstinence, wait for your one true love B - be mutually faithful C - check your HIV status. If reactive, correct and consistent condom use D - don't do drugs and don't drink alcohol E - educate yourself and others for early detection Knowing all these about HIV prevention, we need to raise HIV awareness because there is no cure for HIV. However, with medications, we can manage HIV infection just like any other disease, to allow the PLHIV to live normal productive lives free of stigma and discrimination. It is time for everyone to be involved.
We invite everyone to be involved.
HIV/AIDS is not THEIR problem.
It is everyone's problem.


Families cannot do it alone.
Healthcare workers can not do it alone. Local government units can not do it alone.

World AIDS Day Cebu 2019 is an inclusive event. Everybody is invited to join #WADCebu2019. If everyone in the community as gathered here today, including government agencies, hospitals, medical and civil societies, academic institutions, researchers and students, organizations, religious groups, business and industries, and other agencies, cared enough to do their part to show support and work together in raising the issues and finding solutions to address the Philippine HIV Epidemic, then maybe, just maybe our communites will make the difference. This is our call to action, that every child can be protected against the threat of HIV infection.

Join us tonight (Nov 30, 2019) at 9:00 pm on #HealthXPH as we discuss how communities make the difference for World AIDS Day.

T1. How can you help raise HIV awareness?
T2. How can we reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV?
T3. What message can you give to families and friends affected by HIV, especially those who lost loved ones to AIDS?

Online Mentoring: an innovative supplement to face to face mentoring

According to the Commission of Higher Education (CHED), mentoring should be provided as student support and counseling (CHED, 2016).  A classical mentor is someone “who oversees the career and development of another person, usually a junior, through teaching, counseling, providing psychological support, protecting, and at times promoting or sponsoring” (Bierema LL, 2002).

Online mentoring, also known as e-mentoring or computer virtual mentoring, is an innovative twist to traditional mentoring.  It is defined as the merger of mentoring with electronic communications to develop and sustain mentoring relationships linking a senior individual (mentor) and a lesser skilled or experienced individual (protégé) independent of geography or scheduling conflicts (Rowland, 2011).

Online mentoring reduces the distance between a mentor and a protégé, and breaks the barriers of geography, time and expense.  Collaborative learning through interaction with others requires learners to engage actively in idea exchange and meaning negotiation by looking at and reflecting on the multiple perspectives of fellow students (Murphy KL, 2005).

The roles of the mentors in the collaborative virtual learning environment (CVLE) are identified as supporters, collaborators, editors, friends, evaluators, teachers, leaders and role models (Fonga NS, 2012).  Kang, Yoo and Park (Kang M, 2012) identified four phases of a mentoring program, mainly (1) preparing, (2) matching, (3) being a mentor and (4) ending a relationship.

Mutual respect, trust, and comfort are essential components of this relationship and must be allowed to evolve naturally.  Both parties must be committed to the relationship, and expectations must be articulated.  Successful mentoring involves frequent and regular interaction (Bierema LL, 2002).  I would consider HealthXPH as online mentoring, as more experienced individuals share positivity and expertise freely thru their digital presence.  On #HealthXPH tweetchats, there is a safe space for healthcare workers, teachers, trainers, policy makers, students and patients to express their thoughts, share their experiences and develop their own opinions about issues on health and our healthcare system.  The #HealthXPH tweetchats occur every Saturday with participants committed to the relationship and social online interaction.

Join us on #HealthXPH as we discuss the merits of online mentoring:

T1.  For what purposes/situations would online mentoring be applicable?

T2.  What would be the risks and benefits of online mentoring?

T3.  Give examples of successful online mentoring.

References

Bierema LL, M. S. (2002). E-mentoring: Using Computer Mediated Communication to Enhance the Mentoring Process. Innovative Higher Education, Vol. 26, No. 3. Retrieved from https://www.insala.com/e-mentoring.pdf

CHED. (2016). Policies, Standards and Guidelines for the Doctor of Medicine Program. Quezon City: CHED Memo 18 series of 2016. Retrieved from https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CMO-18-s.-2016.pdf

Fonga NS, M. W. (2012). The Roles of Mentors in a Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment (CVLE) Project. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 66, 302 – 311. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812052573

Kang M, Y. Y. (2012). Analyzing online mentoring process and facilitation strategies. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46, 5158 – 5162. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812021362

KN, R. (2011). E-Mentoring: An Innovative Twist to Traditional Mentoring. J. Technol. Manag Innov. 2012, Volume 7, Issue 1, 229-237. Retrieved from https://www.jotmi.org/index.php/GT/article/view/art246

Murphy KL, M. S.‐D. (2005). A Constructivist Model of Mentoring, Coaching, and Facilitating Online Discussions. Distance Education, 26:3, 341-366. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01587910500291454

Driving ROSEBUD home

I went on a three-day drive with my brother Nicholas, and I had been too busy in the past to write about it, but I would like to park this here now before I forget.

It took us three days from September 12 to 14, 2019.  The first day we drove from Cebu City to the north in Medellin where we took the ferry barge to Leyte.

Ferry boat from north Cebu to Leyte

Once we landed in Leyte late afternoon, we drove until we reached Tacloban around 7:00 in the evening. Roads were already dark and so we decided to sleep over.  Having dinner with Dr Llamera, the parents of one of my residents, I felt that we were on a great adventure!

The following morning westarted as early as 5:00 a.m. driving across San Juanico bridge, filming the whole crossing experience and realizing only at the end that I failed to push the START button.

From Allen in Samar, we took the ferry boat to cross to Matnog in Sorsogon.

Although my broter certainly could drive through the night and reach Las Pinas in 24 hours, I consdered it prudent to rest for the night.

SM Legazpi City was a safe place to find dinner, so we passed by Gerry's grill, and I caught up with a former trainee who is currently in his 3rd year of residency training.

Meeting up with Dr Jay Nath Sah

We realized the convenience of Air BNB when we found a place to stay for the night.

...abangan ang susunod na kabanata...