Cardiologist and internet personality Dr. Willie Ong revealed on Saturday his ongoing fight against abdominal cancer.
“I have a large abdominal cancer. It’s serious, but I will fight this battle. For all cancer patients in the Philippines, we will all get better together,” Ong said.
According to Ong, his doctors found a 16 x 13 x 12 cm sarcoma in his abdomen. He said the tumor was hidden behind his heart and in front of the T10 spine.
The video, recorded from Ong’s hospital room on 29 August, was delayed in its release due to Ong’s “serious and complicated journey through chemotherapy.”
Ong, 60, said he first experienced discomfort in April 2023 while conducting medical missions.
“There was shortness of breath, fatigue and difficulty in swallowing,” he recalled.
Last October, Ong said he began experiencing back pain near his spine.
“I thought it was just muscle pain or my bed being too hard,” he said. By August, his back pain worsened and his stomach began to bloat.
“Worst pain of my life. Ten out of ten. Iiyak ka. You will cry. I was just weeping in pain all night. Like a knife stabbing you in the back,” Ong said.
“This tumor is very large. One of the biggest they have seen,” he added. Ong said his sarcoma was “very rare, very aggressive and very large.”
“Where did I get this? I think it’s from stress,” he said. Despite his condition, Ong said he is maintaining a positive outlook on life.
“Was I sad? At first. But now I am happy, knowing God still has a purpose for me,” he added.
Ong gained prominence for giving medical advice through Facebook and YouTube. He was a senatorial candidate in the 2019 elections and ran for vice president in the 2022 polls as the running mate of former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.