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Cancer Crusaders Club – A History (1988 to 2020)
The Cancer Crusaders Club (CCC) was established by Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson, a surgical oncologist, in December 4, 1988.
The CCC is an organization of Cancer Crusaders, people who pledge to fight against cancer and to help other people fight against cancer. The Cancer Crusaders is not limited to cancer patients but can include caregiver-relatives of cancer patients such as spouses, children, siblings and any significant others.
The word “cancer” was purposely made part of the name of the club by Dr. Joson despite its being a scary and frightening word which might turn some people off. Dr. Joson wanted, especially the members who are cancer patients, to accept that they once had cancers. He believes acceptance is an essential step in the psychotherapy of the cancer patients, which has been the primary and end-goal of the Cancer Crusaders Club.
The foremost reason why Dr. Joson established the Cancer Crusaders Club was because of the need for a comprehensive holistic management of his cancer patients.
He said in 1988:
“Treatment of cancer consists of two inseparable parts. These are the treatment of cancer itself and the management of the person who has been afflicted with cancer. The surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other standard types of cancer treatment that I have been administering to my cancer patients constitute only one part of the treatment. I still need the other part of treatment, which is as important as the first part. Through the Cancer Crusaders Club, I intend to administer psychosocial therapy on my cancer patients.”
Thus, the primary and end-goal of the Cancer Crusaders Club has been to provide psychosocial therapy and support to cancer patients. Initially, the membership was confined to patients of Dr. Joson. Later, it was opened to cancer patients of other physicians. In 2020, on its 33rd year of existence, Dr. Joson has decided to focus on his own cancer patients in order to provide more personalized if not more intensive psychosocial therapy and support. Thus, the name, ROJoson Cancer Crusaders Club starting 2020.
Side notes:
In 2001, Cancer Crusaders Club adopted a new name: MDH Cancer Crusaders Club. Dr. Joson gave the Cancer Crusaders Club to Manila Doctors Hospital where the Club usually held its activities. Since 2001 up to 2019, the MDH Cancer Crusaders Club has been Manila Doctors Hospital's psychosocial support group for cancer patients and part of the hospital's social responsibility programs. In December 1, 2019, the MDH called off the program. With this, Dr. Joson decided to take hold of and manage the Cancer Crusaders Club again. As early as December 2019, he thought of transforming the Cancer Crusaders Club from being a face-to-face interaction to provide psychosocial support to cancer patients to an online interaction. He also decided to limit the Cancer Crusaders Club to his cancer patients.
Since 1988, there has been a yearly Christmas get-together party of the Cancer Crusaders Club. The annual get-together is held on every first Sunday of December.
The Annual Christmas Get-Together has always been a special day for those cancer patients who attended. It is a reunion for those who were present during the previous years. It is a day of sharing experiences. It is a day of helping each other. It is a day that the cancer patients realize that they are not alone who are afflicted with cancer. The end-effect is that the Annual Christmas Get-Together is a booster of morale and hope for the cancer patients to live on.
The primary activity in the Annual Christmas Get-Together has been cancer journey or story sharing by the Cancer Crusaders.
On December 6, 2020, the 33rd Annual Christmas Get-Together will be held through a virtual (online) meet. This was envisioned by Dr. Joson as early as December 2019, even before the outbreak of COVID-19 in China. He was one step ahead, as always. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in the Philippines, the Cancer Crusaders Club, the ROJoson Cancer Crusaders Club, lives on. TO INFINITY AND BEYOND.
Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson
Director
Cancer Crusaders Club
Special thanks to:
Ms. Ma. Lilibeth Tumambing - Secretary of Dr. Reynaldo Joson who has been actively coordinating the Cancer Crusader Club with Dr. Joson since 1988 up to now.
Dr. Elsie Dancel - who managed and supported the MDH Cancer Crusaders Club from 2001 to 2019.
Manila Doctors Hospital - which supported the MDH Cancer Crusaders Club from 2001 to 2019.
ROJ@20nov14
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