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In October 2021, Palaweña Vidalena Javarez Mudroch was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, being based in Europe at the time, she had access to comprehensive healthcare that helped her through a long and difficult treatment process.
Despite the challenges, Vidalena remained grateful to God for His grace and strength throughout her journey.
Vidalena recounted that when she first learned about her diagnosis, she was too shocked to cry—her husband, Romano, had already started crying before she could.
“Tinanong ko lang ang doctor [kung] ano ang susunod na gagawin. Curious din ako [kung] anong stage kase hindi pa nila alam, but she just said early detection so, there’s hope—hindi matagal ang gamutan. Depende din sa pagtanggap ng katawan,” she said.
Her breast cancer story
During treatment, she described the physical difficulty, sharing that after each chemotherapy session, she would feel nauseated, her taste gone, yet she had to push herself to eat. She also experienced anxiety each time she set foot in the hospital—her blood pressure would rise to the point where they couldn’t start an IV until it lowered.
She packed snacks and water in case she got hungry, and she would bring her headset to listen to praise songs to calm herself down, praying the rosary beforehand. Sometimes, she would even fall asleep, waking up to realize the one-hour session had finished.
“Nagka complications ako sa liver nung 4th cycle na. Hindi kinakaya ng liver ko yung dami ng chemo meds na pumapasok—nagka rashers ako, then bumaba immune system. Sa kakabalik balik namin ospital, nagka COVID ako then na-confine sa COVID facility ng four days. So, they stopped the treatment [ng] mga 1 month, bago nung bumalik ako, sabi ng onco ko proceed na daw kami sa surgery,” Vidalena said.
She felt eager, hopeful that removing the tumor would be a turning point. But the surgery was not straightforward—she had to be taken back to the operating room after four hours due to post-op bleeding.
“Hindi ko na alam, akala ko katapusan ko na yun,” she recalled. Signing a consent form, she only requested that they call her husband, telling him to pray for her. Five hours later, she woke up in the ICU, and by the next day, she was moved to a regular room, spending four days alone due to restricted visiting hours.
One month post-surgery, Vidalena resumed chemotherapy, with her remaining five cycles split into 10 to ease the burden on her liver. There was a constant cycle of physical exhaustion, she described, with both good and bad days.
Emotionally, she had come to accept her cancer diagnosis, which helped her avoid self-pity, and she was bolstered by her supportive husband, his family, and a few friends who would check on her and bring food when she couldn’t cook.
Her most profound emotional pain hit when she returned to chemo, only to receive news of her youngest sister’s sudden death, which left her feeling numb. The grief was overwhelming—she hadn’t even finished grieving for her father, who had passed away in April, shortly after she had moved away from Palawan during the COVID lockdown in March.
“Sobra ang pain. A part of me wants to give up. Iyak lang ako ng iyak kase I’m not done grieving sa papa ko then eto naman umalis ako ng Palawan [ay] COVID time, March then April namatay papa ko. After 6 months na-diagnose ako ng cancer and then eto na naman. Physical pain kakayanin ko, pero emotional I’m really in the rock bottom ang prayer ko lang palagi, ‘Lord sobrang sakit ang binibigay mo. Alam ko ikaw din ang magbibigay ng kagalingan ko.’ Walang impossible sa Kanya, magtiwala ka lang,” she said.
Cancer-free and the fashion show of a lifetime
After nearly two years of battling the disease, Vidalena received life-changing news in August 2023: she was cancer-free.
During her recovery, she searched for an English-speaking support group in Prague, but couldn’t find one that suited her needs. Then, a unique opportunity presented itself when she stumbled upon a post seeking models for a special clothing line designed for women who had undergone mastectomies.
“Mahirap maghanap kase nga hindi sila nag-e-English. hindi ka nila e-entertain. I was so happy, lalo pa nung nagmeet kami ni Natalie,” she reminisced.
Natalie Szegény is a fashion designer, a student at the University of Applied Arts in Prague.
Szegény was working on a collection specifically tailored for women who had undergone surgery for breast cancer. She collaborated with Ama Wear Spolek, an NGO founded by Barbara Pella, which provides free clothing designs for women who have lost one breast.
Initially, Vidalena thought she was only being fitted for the clothing, but soon found herself invited to participate in a professional photoshoot and model in a public event.
The fashion show, held at the Klementinum Courtyard in June 2024, was a moving experience for Mudroch. As she walked the runway, the audience’s applause echoed through the historic venue, leaving her deeply emotional.
“Excited and a little bit nervous at first pero nung doon ka na marinig mo ang palakpakan ng mga tao, nakaka overwhelm,” she shared. “Para akong maiiyak bigla, nag-flashback yung mga pinagdaanan ko.”
Resilience and empowerment
The event was a powerful statement of resilience and empowerment, emphasizing that the end of cancer treatment doesn’t mean the end of a meaningful life. For Vidalena, the experience highlighted not only her personal victory over the disease but also her commitment to supporting others who are still fighting.
“Always remember you’re never alone in this journey. Kung nakaya namin kakayanin mo rin at wag makalimot magdasal.
As a devout Christian, she continues to pray for cancer patients around the world. In a separate post, she cited Genesis 28:15 that says, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
“Yes, life is short kaya gawin na nating masaya at mabuti ang buhay natin. May mga Filipina na dito na mga cancer survivor. I think I will reach out to them first and then let’s see what we can do to help,” she added.
With the success of the fashion event behind her, Vidalena is looking forward to more opportunities to raise awareness and support for those affected by cancer, using her personal journey as a beacon of hope.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October, recognized globally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, plays an important role in educating the public about breast cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. This annual observance, initiated in 1985 in the United States, raises awareness of breast cancer’s impact and promotes early detection strategies that save lives.
Organizations and advocates worldwide, such as the ICanServe Foundation, Inc.—a non-profit in the Philippines dedicated to supporting women with breast cancer—offer self-examination guidelines to empower women in monitoring their breast health effectively.
It recommends that women start monthly breast self-examinations at age 20, begin annual clinical exams by age 30, and add an annual mammogram to their routine by age 40. These practices aim to empower them to catch any irregularities early, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
ICanServe encourages women to share these guidelines, as awareness and consistent monitoring can be life-saving.
Breast cancer is not a death sentence
According to Novartis, breast cancer is the most common cancer among Filipino women, with a 17.6% incidence rate, representing 15% of all new cancer diagnoses and 8% of cancer-related deaths. Roughly 3% of Filipino women are expected to develop breast cancer by age 75, and in 2017, the Philippines had the highest incidence of breast cancer among 197 countries.
Unfortunately, over half of these cases are detected at advanced stages, while only 2-3% are caught at Stage 1, resulting in a much lower survival rate for those diagnosed later.
Novartis said medical advances have made breast cancer no longer seen as a death sentence. While about one-third of early-stage patients may progress to metastatic disease, survival rates have improved significantly with newer, targeted therapies that not only extend life but also enhance quality of life.
These treatments help women manage side effects and resume daily activities, instilling hope and confidence in life after diagnosis.