Tatler Philippines speaks to breast cancer survivor and local Managing Editor, Chit Lijauco, on her brave journey battling the Big C
“Cancer survivors have a better view of death,” Chit Lijauco’s son once observed. “[And it’s] because they’ve already faced it.”
Almost ten years ago, Chit Lijauco, Managing Editor of Tatler Philippines was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was 2014 at the time and oncologists around the Philippines were facing dire statistics: the country had the highest prevalence of breast cancer in Asia. “[Before 2014], I would go for a mammogram exam every year,” recounts Lijauco. “Then my OB-GYN asked me, ‘Why are you going every year? You should go only every three years because you’re not high risk anymore.’ So I followed her advice but lo and behold, on the third year, there was a finding.”
The first word to come to mind? Cancer. The disease, which happens when cells grow or spread uncontrollably to other parts of the body, can start almost anywhere, though the most common types include breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, and skin cancer. In 2018, there were 18.1 million reported cases worldwide, about half of which resulted in death. By 2040, the number of new cases is expected to rise to 29.5 million.
Read more: Stand Up To Cancer: 6 Filipino Charities And Organisations To Know
Sometimes, cancer can start as a tumour, which are lumps of tissue formed by the abnormal growth of damaged cells. However, not all cancers start as tumours; those that begin in the blood (such as leukaemia) are often characterised by seemingly harmless symptoms such as fatigue or bruising.
Though cancer is (understandably) a frightening experience, there is hope. Not all kinds of cancers are terminal, and there have been plenty of miracles here and there that have attested to the power of the human spirit. For Stand Up To Cancer Day, Tatler Philippines speaks to its Managing Editor, Chit Lijuaco, on her journey as a breast cancer survivor.