Ating Dibdibin
Ating Dibdibin or “Take Your Breast Care To Heart”, is a comprehensive community-based breast cancer screening program. The program teaches early breast cancer detection techniques so breast cancer is diagnosed at an early stage.
Most breast cancers in the Philippines are discovered in the late stages. Most women postpone going to the doctor despite knowing they have suspicious breast lumps.
Ating Dibdibin, a first of its kind in the country, is the ICanServe Foundation’s response to the fact that the Philippines has the highest incidence of breast cancer in Southeast Asia. It also ranks 9th in the world in breast cancer incidence.
The program aims to save lives by teaching early breast cancer detection techniques through free forums and screening sessions conducted by a medical team and cancer survivors.
Should anyone be diagnosed with a suspicious lump during the screening, the Ating Dibdibin program provides access to financial help for diagnostics and treatment.
The program is made possible by a partnership between the ICanServe Foundation and a locality like a city or province that will agree to make the program permanent.
ICanServe trains the locality’s medical team, including those interested medical professionals in the private sector on early breast cancer detection techniques. Intensive focus is on training of the barangay health workers, or the community health workers, the front-liners to the community.
ICanServe also taps and trains breast cancer survivors in the locality so they can share their journey of healing and encourage other women to take charge of their health.
In 2008, the first partnership was forged with Marikina City. The city institutionalized Ating Dibdibin and created the first breast cancer trust fund in the country. Together with ICanServe, the program includes free mammography, free biopsy, free surgery, discounted ultrasound and access to government funding agencies and the Philippine Cancer Society.
In 2010, Panabo City in Davao province was the second to embrace the program as permanent. In 2012, Taguig City embraced Ating Dibdibin and Muntinlupa City became the fourth ICANSERVE partner city in 2014. In 2020, Tagum City joined those in the forefront of implementing this early detection program.
Results of a research in Marikina City show that because of the foundation’s intervention, the program Ating Dibdibin has changed women’s behavior toward cancer. Those who attended the forums and screening sessions no longer fear breast cancer and regularly conduct monthly breast self exam.
Ating Dibdibin aims to cover as many cities as possible and is open for partnership. It also wishes for its partners to duplicate the program in the partners’ chosen cities and provinces.
Archive of past events
Kamay Gabay kits turned over to Taguig
The Taguig City Ating Dibdibin Program under the City Health Office, in collaboration with ICanServe Foundation, held the turnover of Kamay Gabay kits at the 3rd floor of Taguig City Hall, on October 14. The Kamay Gabay kits include myths and facts about breast...
Underprivileged breast cancer patients to get free transpo to and from treatment
Severe traffic jams, extreme heat, rains and flooding. These are just some of the hazards that cancer patients experience whenever they take public transportation. Through the “CARe for Cancer” program, Pfizer Philippines Foundation, Inc. (PPFI) seeks to address this...
A SPARK OF LIGHT IN THE SHADOWS: Three women share their journey of detection, prevention, and their road to recovery
Never was it an easy feat to embrace trials that seem impossible to overcome. It takes a courageous spirit to be able to accept and to take a step, not only to recovery but also to be a symbol of hope and strength to anyone who may be in need of a Silver Lining. Being...
ICANSERVE at the 4th Annual South East Asia Breast Cancer Symposium
ICANSERVE Foundation participated in the 4th Annual South East Asia Breast Cancer Symposium (SEABCS) held at the Asia Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand on August 30-September 1, 2019. The gathering brought together...
UICC SPARC challenge/Ignite Hope: Philippines–LGUs to create Patient Navigation law
The cities of Marikina, Malabon, Muntinlupa and Taguig have committed to making the community-based Patient Navigation Program for breast cancer patients into an ordinance. A first for the country, patient navigators are barangay health workers, social workers,...
ICanServe’s “Ating Dibdibin” serves as model at Cancer Coalition PH forum on sustainable cancer financing
The cities of Muntinlupa and Taguig were cited as excellent models because of their respective comprehensive barangay-based breast cancer control programs. Both cities showed that multi-partnerships with government, non-government and the private sector organizations...
OK Throughout the Year*
For ICANSERVE Foundation, conducting breast cancer screening should not be limited to October or the breast cancer awareness month. ICANSERVE is a non-profit that advocates early breast cancer detection through high-impact information campaigns and community-based...
ICANSERVE turns Pasay pink for breast cancer month*
The first things we saw as we entered the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay last October 11 was breast cancer survivor Mimi Martin leading a bunch of women in a Zumba class. Then there were the tents, bright pink with green roofs, arranged in neat rows. Inside them, the...
ICANSERVE represented at PCUP initiative
Ms. World Philippines 2017 1st Princess Glyssa Leiann Perez, a volunteer of ICANSERVE Foundation and early breast cancer detection advocate, joined the recent consultative meeting of Kabahagi: Kabahaghari for the National Capital Region (NCR). Kabahagi: Kabahaghari is...
Senate Committees hear out cancer community
The Senate Committee on Health and Demography and the Senate Committee on Finance on March 12 held joint public hearings on the proposed National Integrated Cancer Control Act. Members of Cancer Coalition of the Philippines (CC PH) were complete and served as resource...