3. Meet Doreen
March 30, 2022 Meet Doreen. She is the wife of Dave the Travel Pig. Doreen was gifted to me in 2010 by my coworker and good friend Lori. Fast forward to 2022 and Doreen is now my personal breast cancer mascot. We are headed to the hospital tonight for surgery tomorrow – mine, not hers! […]
2. The Breast Cancer Experience: Frequently Asked Questions
How was it discovered? Screening mammogram and ultrasound. Did you feel a lump? No. Did you do self-breast exams regularly? Yes. Which side? Left breast. Right breast was normal, no cancer there. What stage was it? Based on imaging – 1A. Based on final pathology – 2A. The mass was actually bigger than what was […]
1. Plot Twist!
Blog readers may have noticed I haven’t been posting regularly in 2022. There’s a very good reason for that. I’ve been writing stuff – but they’re not here on the blog, because of the personal and sensitive nature of the topic. One year later I’m ready to put it out there, so here goes. In […]
What is Rehabilitation Medicine?
Rehabilitation Medicine is also known as Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine (PRM) or Physiatry (fizz-ee-AHT-ree, or fee-SIGH-ah-tree; from the Greek physio = of nature or physical, iatrea = act of healing or doctor). As you can see, this medical specialty has some sort of an identity crisis… which does not help […]
Music and Health Workshop with the Strings and Chamber Music Department
The Philippine General Hospital Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Performing Arts Medicine team held a Music and Health Workshop with the University of the Philippines College of Music Strings and Chamber Music Department on November 26, 2024. Such a fun afternoon of learning about keeping musicians healthy and preventing injury. Looking forward to more collaboration in […]
Dance and Music Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
Today’s event (November 27, 2024): honored to be part of the Movement Disorders Module focusing on Parkinson’s Disease at the national meeting of the Philippine Neurological Association. Very grateful for the opportunity to share how dance and music can help our patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s Disease. #physiatry #dancetherapy #musictherapy #rehabilitation #parkinsonsdisease #pd #neurology
Older Adults and the Built Environment
Mini-thesis from 2021, now finally an actual published journal article. This narrative review was written in my final semester at the Australian National University’s Master of Culture, Health and Medicine degree program. The draft was revised several times in preparation for publication. Very grateful! View the article here: https://doi.org/10.47895/amp.v58i20.8512Or here: https://actamedicaphilippina.upm.edu.ph/index.php/acta/article/view/8512This is part of a […]
Cross-cultural Healing and Ancestral Practices Panel at the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPMR) annual assembly
Cross-cultural healing and ancestral practices panel: We talked about bringing biomedicine + “other medicine” together = integrative medicine. 1 hr and 15 mins was not enough, people stayed for more discussion after we formally ended. Wow! Many thanks to colleagues on the panel: Drs. Glendaliz Bosques, Irene Estores, Deborah Bernal, Zainab Al Lawati, and Monica […]
PARM VIS x PAMANA PH in Cebu
Thank you very much to the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine Visayas Chapter PARM Visayas for featuring dance medicine and science this weekend. PAM Advocates National Association of the Philippines (PAMANA PH) was excited and honored to take part in your 43rd Scientific Meeting on October 4-5, 2024 – our first event as a special […]
Experiential Learning with Adult Ballet Class
PGH Department of Rehabilitation Medicine tries out ballet for experiential learning, hosted by NFJ Ballet Alabang at their adult ballet class last weekend. Here we are on their website. We are grateful for the experience and now we understand our dancer patients much better now. During class, it was obvious which of us had previous […]
Multigenerational UP Alumni Family Award
Grateful for the legacy of education at the premier State University. Our Bongco-Juinio family was honored on August 17, 2024 by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association for having three generations exemplifying the university motto – Honor, Excellence and Service. From the UPAA website: “The UPAA grants the awards to UP alumni who have […]
Team Philippines in London: Performing Arts Medicine Association 42nd International Symposium
Late post: July 19, 2024 This morning at the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) International Symposium. Go go go Philippine General Hospital Department of Rehabilitation Medicine #performingartsmedicine poster team! Special shout out to Dr. Frances Carlos for doing the 3-minute presentation at the Poster Parade, talking about our experience with the UP Symphony Orchestra, UP […]
Medical Education Award
Humbled and honored to receive one of the three 2024 Excellence in Medical Education Awards from the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society in America (UPMASA) at their 39th Annual Grand Convention this past weekend.
Music and Movement Therapy Forum
A recent Neurology Grand Rounds, a forum on music and movement therapy at which none of the speakers were neurologists Grateful to the Philippine General Hospital Department of Neurosciences for the opportunity last June 26, 2024! I spoke on the benefits of exercise, dance and music on mild to moderate Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Popkin is […]
