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In a statement released on Wed, Jul 22, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago announced that the cancer growth in her lung “has been arrested” and that she is now considering running for president.
Santiago has been under treatment by her correspondent doctor, Dr. Mark Kris, an oncologist who serves as chief of the Thoracic Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Kris had a consultation with Santiago together with her team of local doctors consisting of: Dr. Esperanza Cabral, cardiologist; Dr. Gary Lorenzo, oncologist; and Dr. Ruth Divinagracia, pulmonologist. The consultation was held last Fri, Jul 17.
The team, together with Kris, examined at the St. Luke’s Global City Medical Center all the PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and CT (Computed Tomography) scans which Kris had already fully studied in his New York clinic.
Kris said that although no patient can be pronounced cured of cancer, Santiago, while following the medical prescriptions of Kris, has been able to control the cancer, meaning that cancer growth in her left lung has been arrested.
In another development, Santiago said she was “happily surprised” by the publication in a news website of a survey by Publicus Asia listing the following in the order of voter preference for the presidential elections: Grace Poe, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Jejomar Binay, Francis Escudero, Rodolfo Duterte, and Mar Roxas.
All of the above candidates are active in government service except for Santiago, who is on qualified medical leave from the Senate. This means that she is allowed to be absent because of her cancer, but at the same time, she is also allowed to participate, if necessary, in certain official Senate activities.
“To remain in the consciousness of voters despite an absence of over a year is certainly a challenge, including remaining in public service. And I consider it in that light,” Santiago said.
On Mon, Jul 20, Santiago posted a video of herself going on her daily walk. The video has already 600,000 views, over 69,400 likes, and over 1,300 shares as of Wed monring, Jul 22.
—with data from statement released by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s office
Photo: News clip
