I am not in a habit of mentioning names and posting pictures of people I know in this blog for the simplest of reason: Preserving their privacy. However, I am going to break this now and introduce you to Dr. Frances Blanco-Dizon, fondly known as Frankie or Dr. Frankie to her family and friends.
I came to know Frankie only after I got sick. If ever there are any regrets in my relationship with her, it is only that I did not come to know her sooner.
Frankie was afflicted with breast cancer herself. She was diagnosed while she was still doing her surgical residency at PGH. Having cancer did not hold her back. Frankie went on to become an onco-surgeon. Since then, there was no going back for her. As she bravely soldiered on with her own battle with the disease, Frankie touched countless of lives, not only as a doctor, but as a cancer survivor as well.
I was one of those people who Frankie picked up along the (cancerous) way. I clearly remembered being in total awe of a total stranger, one who is not only beautiful, but also brave and kind. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, while my head was whizzing with all those information dumped on me, while I was at a loss on where to go from there, Frankie entered my life, and just like that, she shone a light on the dark path that I was on. She was the one who showed me that there is life with cancer and that it is worth fighting tooth and nail for every inch of the way. With her unassuming and uncondescending manner, she provided me what I needed at that time of darkness, a friend who understands what I was going through, who assures me that everything will be all right.
Frankie founded a breast cancer support group in Cagayan de Oro. I am sure that the group sorely missed her. The group have reached out and provided support for lots of women that needed it. She was also active and was our resident doctor of the I Can Serve egroup. She would explain in simplest of terms the most complicated sounding medical terms associated with breast cancer, and she had always succeeded in putting the worst fears of the members to rest.
When I found out that Frankie had a recurrence early this year, I cannot help but cry with her as we chatted on the net. It was my turn to "hold" her hand and I am glad to be able to do so, even if it was only for a brief ten minutes or so. From common friends, I heard that Frankie finally agreed to do another round of chemotherapy, which she was reluctant to have at first. I salute her for her courage, knowing how hard it is for one's body (not to mention psychologically)to go through chemotherapy yet again.
Last Sunday morning, July 16, 2006, at 8:30 in the morning, Frankie finally succumbed to cancer. When I found out about it on Monday morning, I simply could not stop my tears from flowing.
Frankie, you were one amazing tough lady. You were a beacon whose light was extinguished prematurely. We all will miss you terribly.
5 comments:
Frankie to you and friends,cucu to our family. during that time our family stood ang fight with her but to no avail. Im glad to hear that our cousin had help you. She is always like that to everybody family or not. Some of us where so helpless during the wake we cannot even go home to the philippines to be with her. our only concilation when we talk to her thru the net about a week before she died. keep up the fight and wishing you all the best. kuya to frankie
Breast Cancer support
Common Breast Cancer Myths
The first myth pertaining to this disease is that it only affects women.
Second myth that is associated with this disease is that if one has found a lump during an examination, it is cancer.
Third is that it is solely hereditary
The next myth associated with breast cancer is downright ridiculous. Would you believe, that in this day and age, some individuals still think that breast cancer is contagious?
Conversely, some individuals foolishly believe that breast size determines whether or not one gets cancer.
Finally, another myth that is associated with this disease is that it only affects older people. This is not so. Although the chance of getting breast cancer increases with age, women as young as 18 have been diagnosed with the disease.
You can find a number of helpful informative articles on Breast Cancer support at breast-cancer1.com
Breast Cancer support
I just googled Frankie's name as I remember her today, three years after her death. Frankie and I were good friends and I miss her terribly. Thank you for writing this about her. Your picture of her is so beautiful--it made me miss her all the more. Thank you.
Would you mind if I copied this picture of Frankie to post on a tribute to her on my facebook page? Thank you so much.
To Donna Anel: Please go right ahead and copy Frankie's picture. It was taken when she was a speaker at Silver Linings 2005 at Edsa Shangri-la Hotel. Many of the "sisters" in ICanServe who knew her still misses her. Can't believe it's already been three years. May I request for a tag of your tribute to her? Thank you.
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