Award-winning broadcast journalist Karen Davila has revealed that cancer is not new to her, saying some family members, including her father, battled the "Big C."

Davila made the revelation during her short talk at the opening of the Global Care Cancer Institute, Inc. (GCCI) in Bay, Laguna last Nov. 26. The institute is said to be the first stand-alone cancer care facility in the Philippines.

"You know, cancer is not new to my family. My first experience with cancer in the family was quite traumatic. My father has stage 1 cancer, he's 80 years old. The tita that I was closest to died of breast cancer. Another tita all coming from one family, magkakapatid sila, also died of breast cancer. Then I have another tita still with breast cancer today. Lahat sila magkakapatid," she said.

Karen added: "While I was growing up, I did not understand what cancer was. All I remember was that as a teenager, it wasn't explained to me well, if you had cancer, mamamatay ka for sure.

"It was traumatic. I remember nagpa-chemotherapy siya, nahulog ang hair niya, she found out too late. And as a teenager, it wasn't explained to me. And I didn't even go to her funeral. I was in that much pain. And growing up I would say, ibigay mo ng lahat wag lang cancer," she added.

But Karen believes that these days, cancer can still be treated "if you catch it early."

"So when they say that cancer is no longer a death sentence, that is true. Because we lived at a time, when we believed that cancer is already your death sentence. Wala ka ng solution. But not anymore.

"I spoke to the doctors and the most profound way of treating cancer is to prevent it. Prevention is always the best solution," she said.

Karen, 52, encouraged annual medical check-ups for everyone, especially for adults, to check their health status.

"Isa ako dun sa tamad na nagpa yearly mammogram. magpa-breast ultrasound. Count me in. I was one of those people. And to some, I don't believe you do it every year. It takes a lot of effort and time. But I started to realize after my father was detected with bladder cancer, that it's much better, you can treat it if you catch it early. So that's really the thing with cancer," she said.

Cancer facility in Laguna

GCCI is the very first stand-alone cancer facility in the Philippines with complete facilities, renowned medical talents and care. Located In Bay, Laguna, it is accessible to the country’s capital and its nearby cities in Southern Luzon and is transforming the way cancer patients are treated with new means of understanding the disease.

Last Nov. 26, it was officially opened to the public through a grand launch done through a motorcade and a press conference attended by its founders, board members, local government heads, with Davila as the guest of honor and producer/influencer Darla Sauler. It was hosted by singer/songwriter/host Miguel Mendoza.

A recent study showed that cancer is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In the Philippines, it has been one of the leading diseases that kills Filipinos.

In a study conducted by the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Human Genetics in 2018, 189 out of 100,000 Filipinos are afflicted with cancer. Four Filipinos die every hour or 96 patients every day.

In recent years, extensive oncological care could only be obtained in Metro Manila. Patients outside the country’s capital are challenged to receive the appropriate medical care but a new day has come.

Established in 2018, this stand-alone cancer facility in Bay, Laguna aims to be the preferred center for holistic cancer care and management in Southern Luzon.

“Our mission and vision is to provide safe, timely, efficient, equitable, effective, patient focused cancer care by expert, multi-disciplinary health care teams committed to deliver responsive, compassionate, comprehensive cancer management,” said Engr. Ricardo Celino, Board Member of GCCI and Over-all Chairman of all Global Hospitals.

With its tagline “The hands to heal and heart to care," GCCI has everything in one roof right. “It has top-of-the-line facilities so you don’t have to go anywhere anymore,” said Mr. Oliver Perez, VP & Head of Diagnostic Imaging Siemens Headliners.

You are always sure that if you go to GCCI you will get the best personalized care not only for cancer but even after cancer care. Staffed with trained oncologists, medical specialists that provide service to the other pillars of oncology like surgery, nutrition, psychiatry and more. This Covid-free facility is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for chemotherapy, radiation, nutritional guidance, minor surgery and nuclear medicine.

According to GCCI President Dr. Necy Juat, “It's like a home. It is like your home here in the Bay. As you would be part of our family, we’ll treat you as one. Here, you will have a healing environment.”

Davila also said that the institute is the living example of the motto "if you build it, they will come" which was lifted from the 1989 Oscar-nominated movie "Field of Dreams" starring Kevin Costner.

To know more about GCCI, visit and like their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/globalcarecancerinstituteinc.