Doc Willie Ong announces cancer diagnosis

Cardiologist Willie Ong, a health advocate who ran for vice president in Eleksyon 2022, is fighting the battle for his life as he is undergoing treatment for cancer.

Ong, known for his moniker "Doc Willie," made the announcement on his social media platforms on Saturday.

He said doctors found a 16 x 13 x 12 centimeter sarcoma in his abdomen. It was "hidden" behind his heart, he said, and in front of his spine.

"Ang bukol na ito, malaking malaki daw. Isa sa pinakamalaki na nakita nila (This tumor is very, very big. One of the biggest they have ever seen)," Ong said in video post on his YouTube channel.

The video was recorded from his hospital room on Aug. 29, but its release was delayed "because of doc willie's serious and complicated journey through chemotherapy," according to a post on his Facebook account.

The Mayo Clinic defines sarcoma as the general term for a broad group of cancers that begin in the bones and in the soft or connective tissues.

Ong recalled that in April 2023, he felt discomfort while carrying out medical missions due to fatigue, and difficulties breathing and swallowing. He dismissed these as part of aging.

Come October that year, Ong started experiencing back pain that radiated to the upper part of his spine. Due to this, he had problems sleeping flat on his back.

Sometime in August, his back pains became more severe.

"Worst pain of my life. 10 out of 10. Iiyak ka. Buong gabi walang tulog (You will cry out in pain. The whole night you won't be able to sleep)," Ong recalled.

He was admitted into a hospital that same month and was diagnosed with sarcoma, which he described as "very rare, aggressive, very big."

In the midst of his health challenge, Ong is keeping a positive outlook.

"Malungkot ako? Hindi. Suwerte nga ako may asawa ako nagbabantay. Suwerte ako may [mga] anak ako... binabantayan ako. I'm so blessed," he said.

(Am I sad? No. I'm lucky that I have a wife watching over me. I'm lucky that I have children also watching over me. I'm so blessed.)

"Is this negative or positive? Negative, may bukol. Pero positive, naging close sa akin 'yung dalawang anak ko, na dati may barrier kami. Pamilya ko naging close," Ong added.

(Is this negative or positive? Negative, because there's a lump. But also positive, because I gained a closer relationship with my two children. There was a barrier before. My family became close.)

Ong has gained an audience on social media, giving out health and wellness tips to his 9.7 million YouTube subscribers and 17 million Facebook followers (as of posting time).

In 2022, he was the runningmate of presidential candidate and former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno under the Aksyon Demokratiko party.

Ong served as consultant of the Department of Health from 2010 to 2014. He graduated the De La Salle University College of Medicine in 1992, and earned his Master in Public Health degree from the University of the Philippines Manila in 2002. — VDV, GMA Integrated News