S Y N E R G YDecember 2016 Vol. 05 No.04

A Quarterly Publication of St. Luke’s Medical Center - Resource Development Group

Heart Of GoldMs. Tan Suy Tin gives thousands who are left in the dark, the gift of a brighter tomorrow.

8/F St Luke’s College of Medicine - William H. Quasha Memorial279 E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City

Website: www.stlukesfoundation.org.phE-mail: slmcfoundation@gmail.com

www.stlukesmedicalcenter.com.phwww.stlukes.com.ph

For comments and suggestions, please callNiña Mirrela C. Bautista

ReD – Fund Development Officer

Tel. No.: (632) 789-7576

EDITORIAL BOARD

Edgardo R. Cortez, MD

Arturo S. De La Peña, MD

Jose B. Moran, MD

Olivia B. Yao

EDITORIAL TEAM

Editor in ChiEfKara Ortiga

CrEativE dirECtorEdric dela Rosa

PhotograPhErSRennell Salumbre

Klay Tan

Editorial aSSiStantSNiña BautistaJude Trinidad

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY

You may contact us for your donations: ST. LuKE’S MEDiCAL CENTER - RESOuRCE DEvELOPMENT GROuP

5/F, St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City32nd Street and 5th Avenue

(+632) 789-7700 extension 5076 and 5077

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MESSAGE FROM THE pRESIDENT

the past couple of months for us in the resource development group and in the foundation have been emotionally uplifting. as we celebrate the spirit of Christmas this season, we can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of those who have extended their support for us. Because of this, we are energized with a continued hope to work hard for the future of the foundation, in order to help more and more beneficiaries.

for example, the recent renaming of the St. luke’s-global City Eye institute into the tan Eng gee Eye institute has opened its doors to thousands who are in need, enabling multitudes of long-suffering countrymen to regain their eyesight, by giving them the opportunity to be treated by St. luke’s doctors through a ten-year program that rolls off next year. the credit of this must be given to our generous supporter, Ms. tan Suy tin, who along

with other big-hearted individuals, have continually sponsored our charity programs with a shared vision to give more to those in need.

With gratitude once more, we extend a heartfelt thank you to all the altruistic spirits who continue to give the gift of health with the foundation, including those who have supported our fundraising activity last quarter with the limited edition art prints.

despite the turmoils of our past, we look forward to the coming new year with brighter eyes. and most importantly, as we celebrate with our loved ones, let us not forget to spread the gift of joy with the people who are most in need.

We thank you for your continued support, and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous new Year.

DR. EDGARDO R. CORTEZPresident & CEO St. Luke’s Medical CenterPresident, St. Luke’s Medical Center Foundation, Inc.

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December 2016

What strikes you most about your first encounter with Prof. nilda Munoz is her incredibly warm spirit, delicate humor, and impeccable brilliance. a Balik-Scientist awardee 2010-2013 of the department of Science and technology (doSt), Prof. Munoz worked with the University of Chicago for 31 years, before being requested by the doSt to come home and bring back her work to help the country.

today, her accomplishments in the field of medicine have been recognized all over the world, with at least a hundred plus peer-reviewed articles published in highly respected journals, and numerous abstracts presented in the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine. one of her legacies in her career was landing a cover on the journal of the american thoracic Society, for her development of an antibody against asthma, now patented in the United States. her current work with this antibody continues here in the Philippines, with the objective to humanize the medicine.

But Prof. Munoz started from humble beginnings: working once as a clerk, a key puncher, and even a manager of medical records, before eventually deciding to jump

into research work in a hospital, even without prior experience.

She started in the late 1970s as a junior research technician at the University of Chicago, and was the only individual given an assistant Professor rank at the dept. of Medicine without an Md or Phd degree. She then worked her way up to become a prominent contributor in her field, eventually becoming a Senior research assistant, Professor of Medicine, and laboratory Manager.

today, Prof. Munoz is the director, research Management office, St. luke’s College of Medicine. one of her research works includes

BALIKBAYAN HEROINEProfessor Nilda Munoz, MSc, who has been conducting research abroad for 31 years, gives back to her motherland.

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extracting medicine from plants, because this resource is important for the country. But she had no previous experience, so she said she took it upon herself to learn from scratch. “i don’t know anything about medicinal plants, because it’s not popular in the United States. So everyday, here, i had to read about it, i had to go to different places and institutions to see what they were doing, until i became confident enough to pursue work in it. So we wrote a manual on methodologies on how to prepare this medicine.” But the medical center, she says, only provided a small budget to renovate the lab—so the packrat in her decided to be

resourceful. “i bought plastic materials that were affordable, and i borrowed test tubes and glassware that weren’t being used by other departments. and then i wondered, paano ko kaya i-extract ang halaman? So pumunta ako sa S&r, nakita ko yung panggiling ng baboy, so yun yung ginagamit ko now. Wala kasi akong sophisticated na equipment dito, frugal ako eh. So very resourceful talaga ako.”

What is most inspiring about Prof. Munoz is her sheer dedication to the craft, and of course her nationalistic spirit to return to her motherland to impart her gift with our own brothers and sisters.

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When Ms. tan Suy tin was referred to dr. Jonas Subido, she was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, a genetic disease that inflicts one’s eye sight. By the time they met, he says, her condition was already quite critical. But instead of feeling hopeless, dr. Subido said Ms. tan Suy tin decided to pay it forward. “She wanted to use her resources instead to help specifically indigent patients, and because she felt comfortable at St. luke’s, this is where she wanted to give back, so that charity patients don’t have to pay for anything.” it was her generosity that urged her to donate to the foundation, approaching dr. Subido to help pursue this goal.

VISIONARYDr. Jonas Subido is this month’s Fundraising Champion.

SpARK OF HOpEThe new Tan Eng Gee Eye Institute gives thousands the opporunity to dream again.

December 2016

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s. tan Suy tin was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration—impairing her eyesight through a good part of her life. She had consulted numerous doctors befor approaching dr. Jonas Subido at St. luke’s global City.

a successful, sharp woman even at the age of 87, dr. Subido says the retired businesswoman has an admirable strength. that despite her deterred eyesight, it didn’t let her down. instead, the condition had inspired her to help those who still have a chance for healing, but don’t have the means. her donation to the St. luke’s Medical Center foundation, inc. is indeed remarkable. in line with this, Ms. tan Suy tin is naming the institute after her father, who passed away in 1952 at the young age of 56, due to a heart attack. the children of Mr. tan recall their father with fondness as as a loving and caring person, a family man and a pillar of strength for the family.

Which is why on october 12, 2016, the hospital inaugurated the tan Eng gee Eye institute, after Ms. tan Suy tin’s father.  the day was a very important day for the family, as it also marked the 64th death anniversary of tan Eng gee. tan Eng gee, a merchant, always embraced the teaching: “in life, one must not only know how to work hard and perform matters rightfully and justly; one must also know how to have good dealings with fellowmen.”

Ms. tan Suy tin’s objective with the donation is to give financial assistance to indigent eye cataract patients. her donation will surely go a long way in supporting the needs of the social service patients of the hospital who have no access to specialist eye care. it will have an immediate impact on the patients’ ability to regain their vision, but more importantly, her donation will have a lasting effect on the livelihood of many filipino families.

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F R O M L E F T TO R i G H T : M S . O L i v i A B . YA O , D R . E D GA R D O R . CO R T E z , M S . TA N S u Y T i N A N D M S . B E E B E E C H u A

M S . TA N S u Y T i N A N D M S . A N A S TA S i A DY

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M S . TA N S u Y T i N A N D FA M i LY

D R . B u E N J i M M A R i A N O , D R . A L E J A N D R O C . D i zO N , D R . C A R LO S E M M A N O E L C H u A , D R . J O N A S G u i L L E R M O S u B i D O , D R . A R T u R O D E L A P E ñ A , D R . N O E L C H u A , M S . TA N S u Y T i N , D R . E D GA R D O R . CO R T E z , D R . DA N i LO CO N S TA N T i N O i i , D R . J O S E M A R i A M A R T i N E z , A N D D R . B R i A N M i C H A E L i . C A B R A L

M S . TA N S u Y T i N A N D FA M i LY W i T H R ES O u R C E D E v E LO PM E N T A N D S T . L u K E ’ S F O u N DAT i O N

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an incredibly soft spoken rollie Buban is one of the new scholars of St. luke’s Medical foundation, inc. this year. Coming from a rural community in Malinao, albay—his decision to pursue medicine is driven by his passion to help other people. a Cum laude graduate with an nMat score of 92, rollie was a Biology major at Bicol University. his father was a farmer, debilitated by a stroke three years ago, while his mother tends to a small rice store in the local public market. although pursuing medicine made it difficult for his family who struggled to make ends meet, the foundation has helped him pursue his once-impossible dreams.

THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTESTSt. luke’s College of Medicine produced a 100 percent passing rate of its graduates in the latest Physician licensure Exam, pegging it to be one of the best performing medical schools in the Philippines.

St. luke’s has consistently been in the perfect territory for first-time takers since 2007. this achievement has elevated St. luke’s to be one of the best performing schools in the past eight years.

“We have been consistently realizing our goal to be the best medical school in the country. our screening process ensures that we only have the best and the brightest in our fold. We also offer the most number of medical scholarship grants that is one of the most comprehensive in content. our scholarship retention scheme is also the most stringent and we provide one of the best foundations for basic and clinical research for our students,” said School President and dean dr. Brigido l Carandang, Jr.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCEThe story of scholar Rollie Buban, a student of one of the top medical schools in the country.

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one hundred indigent pediatric and adult patients benefited from a free tooth extraction, fluoride application, and restoration services from a dental mission in Quezon City, spearheded by the St. luke’s Medical foundation, inc., the Children international Philippines, Sagip Bayan, and the SlMC Social Services department. free medicine and oral hygiene were supplied to patients by dentists and lay volunteers. St. luke’s foundation, inc. Manager Jude trinidad, St. luke’s Social Service department Manager Christine hangod, Sagip Bayan Mission head Cecille ignacio, Ci agency director lei orioste, and Ci health and nutrition coordinator Jennifer Santos, led in the successful conduct of the mission. the dentist-volunteers include drs. orlando Quiazon, Evelyn Salazar-Medrano, Mari anne Prudence locaylocay , luz Belinda Yap, Baby Pullan, Marilou Barlizo and oliver garcia.

ALL SMILESA dental mission gives hundreds something to smile about.