Over 100 dads in Negros get free medical screening from GMA Kapuso Foundation

More than a hundred fathers in Bais, Negros Oriental, underwent free prostate antigen tests, digital rectal examination, and urinalysis ahead of Father's Day.

The free medical screening was organized by GMA Kapuso Foundation in honor of the fathers and in solidarity with National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this June.

Among the fathers who benefitted from the medical screening was Sanny Boy Cadalso, a rice farmer.

According to "24 Oras" on Friday, the El Niño drought has left Sanny Boy's rice fields all dried up, dashing what would have been P1,000-worth of earnings for every sack of grains he could sell. He has been taking out loans from a sari-sari store to get by and has been working hard despite the aches and pains in his body to provide for his children.

Together with the Hospital Municipality of Bais, the Bais City Health Office, and the Negros Polymedic Hospital, GMA Kapuso Foundation kicked off the medical screening alongside the distribution of food packs and clothes for the fathers.

According to urologist Dr. Ace Niño Gica, the tests performed on the fathers were mainly for physical examination.

"Mainly for physical examination, tingnan muna namin 'yung pantog kung puno, we see the prostate kung may bukol or may problema though PSA (test) is prostate-specific, it is not cancer specific," Dr. Gica said. "So, tumataas po ito kung may UTI tayo or kung malaki po 'yung prostate natin."

Meanwhile, Dr. Lowen Besario II, city health officer of Bais City, said that the health event was just a first.

"This is going to be a first in the drive of the Philippine Urological Association to extend their services into the mountainous regions," he said.

— CDC, GMA Integrated News