MANILA, Philippines—Did you know that breast cancer cases are rising in the country and yet many women opt to keep their lumps in secret and undiagnosed? A simple mammogram is one effective step towards early detection but women’s fears about the disease as well as the cost for mammograms put them off.
Kasuso.org (Philippine Breast Care Foundation, Inc.) aims to make mammograms accessible for underprivileged women through its #SUSUPORTAHANKITA donation campaign:
Every Php 1500 allows Kasuso.org to give a woman a mammogram and potentially detect breast cancer early on. In return, every donor will receive a free limited edition #SUSUPORTAHANKITA t-shirt.
As Jasper Ilagan, son of a breast cancer victim says, “Cancer got my mom. Kung meron lang kaming enough na pera dati for her treatments, napahaba pa sana ang buhay niya. Pero ganun talaga ang buhay, susubukin at susubukin ka. Tatanawin na napakalaking tulong ng mga walang matatakbuhang pamilya ang pagbisita sa booth ng Kasuso Foundation at pagdo-donate ng mammogram.”
Kasuso’s Donation Booth was located at the UPTOWN Mall’s BGC Atrium Ground Floor, from December 27, 2021 to January 6, 2022.
Each shirt was meant to create conversations and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease. (Every donor actually helps the cause twice – beyond helping provide mammograms, simply wearing the shirt will help make breast cancer something worth talking about!)
The shirts come in ten different designs — each one with a message written as breast cancer surgery scars:
“You are tougher than cancer”
“A monthly check-up is your breastfriend”
“You’re still beautiful as the day I met you”
“I’m down for a breast check up”
“You are not your scars”
“Early detection is your breast protection”
“Focus on the fight, not the fright”
“Kung may bukol, make the call”
“Cancer-free is the new sexy”
“Proud daughter of a survivor” / “Proud son of a survivor”
The shirts were designed by IdeasXMachina’s Gab Navarro, Rain Gamboa, and Grey Yuzon and produced by HEROIXM, the social good / corporate social responsibility unit of IdeasXMachina Group of Hakuhodo.
“#SusuportahanKita was hatched at a time when we were challenged to create funding for early detection. We never imagined that we could do something like this on our own. Through the #SusuportahanKita t-shirt designed by the team of IdeasXmachina, and the opportunity to reach people this Christmas through Megaworld Foundation’s SustainaMall Christmas Tree of Hope project, generous donors can have an opportunity to provide women some help in their healing journey,’ said Aileen P. Antolin, Trustee for Program Development of Kasuso.Org.
