Problems and Rehabilitation of Filipino Stoma Patients - An Accomplishment - A Legacy
In 1979, when I was still a senior surgical resident at the Philippine General Hospital, I wrote a paper entitled: Problems and Rehabilitation of Filipino Stoma Patients. I won second prize in the 1979 research contest in the Department of Surgery of PGH (Surgical Forum) and first prize in the 1979 Residents' Nights of the Philippine College of Surgeons.
This paper was published in an international journal.
Problems and Rehabilitation of Filipino Stoma Patients
Reynaldo O. Joson, MD
Romeo Gutierrez, MD
1979
Problems and rehabilitation of Filipino stoma patients. J Enterosmal Therapy. September – October, 1983.
When I posted it in the Internet, I got a lot of people interested in my paper and would write me.
As far as I know, up to now, this is the only paper of its kind in the Philippines.
I am happy of my accomplishment. It is a legacy that I will leave behind.
I will ensure that this paper will be posted in the Internet as long as possible.
Related to this paper and to this legacy, I formed the Philippine Stoma Association, a support group of stoma patients (which actually gave rise to the paper). The Philippine Stoma Association now known as the Ostomy Association of the Philippines is the first of its kind in the Philippines. There are now quite a number of similar support groups that followed suit in other hospitals.
Induction of officers of the Philippine Stoma Association by Dr. Romeo Gutierrez (in 1979).
I also formed a group of volunteer enterostomal therapists in 1979. It was the forerunner of the current Enterostomal Therapy Nurses Association of the Philippines.
