A conversation with one of my patients' wives stayed with me today.
She quietly shared that she felt so small and embarrassed when someone referred to her as the "GL girl."
My heart broke when I heard it from her. ðŸ˜
GL stands for Guarantee Letter — financial assistance from government offices that helps patients access the medicines, tests, and treatments they need.
There should never be shame in asking for help. In fact, these programs are funded by the taxes we all contribute. They exist because every Filipino deserves the opportunity to receive healthcare, especially during life's most difficult moments. If you qualify for a Guarantee Letter, you are not asking for a favor — you are accessing a benefit that is meant to help you.
Our healthcare system is far from perfect. In fact, I disagree with GLs, but the cost of cancer care can be overwhelming, and many families simply cannot shoulder it alone. So if GLs and patient assistance programs can help sustain the medicines, diagnostics, and treatments that you need, please use them without guilt or embarrassment.
No one should ever be defined by how they pay for treatment. What matters is that they receive the care they deserve.
Let's replace stigma with compassion. Every patient deserves dignity.
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