Dr. Roel Cagape shunned away the opportunity of having financial security in accepting medical job overseas. Instead, he dedicates his service in the slums of Sarangani in Mindanao for free.
The 54-year-old doctor told Asian Correspondent that he made this decision after witnessing an incident he described as “dying without dignity”.
It was the 1970s and two tribesmen, carrying a patient on a makeshift stretcher made of cloth tied to wooden poles, knocked on their door for an emergency.
The tribesmen pleaded to take their patient to a hospital in nearby General Santos City because there is no facility available in Sarangani.
Unfortunately, the patient did not make it on time because the roads between Malapatan, Sarangani and General Santos City are not fully developed for traveling.
Photo credit: Tubad Mindanao/Blogspot
“It was heart-wrenching seeing someone dying from lack of medical attention. It gave me the resolve to pursue medicine to help poor patients,” Asian Correspondent quoted Dr. Cagape as saying.
With that incident, he pursued medicine in hopes of taking care of the indigenous and the marginalized sector living in the remote areas of Sarangani.
He specializes in family medicine and established Hearts and Brains Inc. in 1995 along with 245 family in order to cover health care for people of all ages.
From 9 am to 11 am, an average of 40 a day seeks free consultation with Dr. Cagape. In the afternoon, he heads General Santos City where he also gives free medical care to indigent patients.
On weekend, the doctor hikes the mountains and crosses 30 rivers to provide free medical services to the tribesmen living there.
This advocacy of Dr. Cagape left him as a bachelor. He also admitted that there are times when he reflected on what life he could have if he accepted international and local offers.
Still, he believes that the healthcare system is still in need to be fixed.
“How can you be happy when you have to walk for hours under the sun or the rain, at times hungry, to reach the community? It’s a lot of hard work and sacrifices,” he said. “What I get is satisfaction after giving them medical treatment. I want them to experience love and care, and not die without dignity.”
Dr. Cagape’s work for the marginalized was not left unnoticed. He already received awards like the Gawad Geny Lopez Jr. Bayaning Filipino Award and the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Award.
CREDIT: Asian Correspondent
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