GLOBAL GOALS

Advancing pediatric cancer care

DT · Jul 19, 2026, 11:15 PM

FIRST Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (2nd from right) and I Want To Share Foundation founder and chairman Sheila B. Romero (3rd from right) check a room of the First Charity Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila on 10 July 2026. — PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PINKY ROMUALDEZ

The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), through the support of I Want to Share Foundation (IWTSF), inaugurated the country’s first charity Bone Marrow Transplant Unit (BMTU) on 10 July 2026.

The BMTU will cater to three charity beds for patients with cancer, such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, neuroblastoma and neurosarcoma. Its services, including procedures and medicines, for indigent cancer patients, are free.

It serves as a testament of UP-PGH’s commitment to provide accessible and world-class health care service to the Filipino people.

First Lady Liza Aranet-Marcos and IWTSF founder and chairman Sheila B. Romero led the inauguration of the BMTU, by cutting the ceremonial ribbon and unveiling the marker for the facility.

In a Facebook post, Department of Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary for Operations Pinky Marquez, who attended the ceremony, said the BMTU represents a life-saving second chance for children battling cancer and blood disorders by providing them with bone marrow transplantation.

“My heart is overflowing with gratitude and hope. As a mother and a servant of our nation, nothing aches more than seeing a child fight a battle as cruel as cancer. But today, we took a monumental step toward ensuring that no Filipino family has to fight this battle alone,” read the post of Marquez.

IWTSF has been helping children with cancer the past eight years and raised P92 million for the construction of the BMTU, procurement of PGH equipment and other support for young patients.