The I Want To Share Foundation (IWTS), in partnership with the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), inaugurated the country’s First Charity Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, marking a breakthrough in the country’s continuous efforts to make life-saving cancer treatment more accessible to Filipino children.

The new wing was established to help children battling leukemia and other blood disorders, for which bone marrow transplantation is often one of the most effective treatments.

IWTS Founder Sheila Romero underscored their foundation’s commitment to building lasting solutions that can transform the future of childhood cancer care in the country, which will be made accessible to children.

“Bone marrow transplantation is one of the most complex and expensive treatments in modern medicine. Today, it is only available in two private hospitals in the country, with treatment costs ranging from approximately 2 to 5 million pesos, placing it beyond the reach of many Filipino families,” Romero said.

Romero also recognized that patients are often forced to choose between financial hardship and the chance to save their lives.

“As a cancer survivor myself, the project is deeply personal. I know the uncertainty of fear, the prayers, and the hope that sustain each child and parent every day,” Romero added.

IWTS is more than a project for the foundation; it is a legacy of compassion and service that they intend to keep, ensuring every Filipino fighting cancer has the opportunity not just to survive but to live a full and meaningful life.

The inauguration also gathered officials from PGH, healthcare professionals, donor partners, and pediatric cancer patients and their families, with First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos gracing the occasion as the Guest of Honor.

Alongside this, Romero further reiterated IWTS’s efforts to progress healthcare in the country, such as the renovation of an eight-bedroom infectious ward for immunocompromised children here in PGH in 2024 and pioneering the Childhood Cancer Helpline in Laguna, Cavite, and Bohol the following year.  

“This is all to improve early detection, accurate diagnosis, timely treatments, and ultimately increase the childhood survival rate to 60%,” Romero stated.

The founder also revealed that IWTS will inaugurate the Adult Leukemia Ward in the PGH in September, including the renovation of a four-story facility for palliative care.

Since its founding, IWTS has had the privilege of supporting more than 4,500 children and their families throughout their cancer journey, and it will further propel with the launch of the new wing.

Along with this, the foundation has celebrated the completion of chemotherapy for 1,650 young warriors over the past 11 years, representing hope, resilience, and renewed possibilities.

Continuing its commitment beyond hospital walls, IWTS is set to launch the 2nd Run to Share this November. More than a fundraising event, every race registration will translate into one blood bag for pediatric cancer patients in need of life-saving blood transfusions, allowing every participant to make a direct and meaningful impact.

With this, IWTS and PGH hope to provide not only medical care, but also renewed hope for children and families facing some of life’s toughest battles.