Official Publication of the FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY Dr Nicanor Reyes Jr School of Medicine Alumni Foundation ECTOPIC MURMURS Volume 22 Number 9 September 2011 Opinions and articles published herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect that of the FEUDNSM Alumni Foundation GOODBYE REMEMBERING DR FE DEL MUNDO 62 DR FE DEL MUNDO CELSO DEL MUNDO MD The world has lost an icon, who LINDA G BARRANDA MD had cared thousand of sick children, She was called by Dr Fe Del Mundo was our Message from the the Almighty consultant at Lungsod ng BOARD CHAIRMAN Lord to live with Kabataan and in her hospital angels and Have you ever noticed how named after saints. things in life her in The long lasting turn out legacy of virtues, Quezon CELSO DEL and knowledge, right, no MUNDO MD City when I matter how she left behind, was a Will always be with us, her you think medical clerk students, to continue her noble they should in 1983- task. LINDA have been? BARRANDA MD 84 and later My life is a Nobody can replace a woman with as a medical such wit and intelligence, prime Intern in 1996-1997. She had inspired all her students, to PEPITO C example. As I did not take pediatrics RIVERA MD follow her footsteps, When I was a To care for ailing babies and at FEU because I transferred surgical resident at the old FEU children and gave them the to Bicol Christian College of Hospital in Morayta Manila, I precious life, Medicine (BCCM) in Legazpi And enjoy the life of good health, was the only single resident in City, I did not become her through her caring and love. my department and I felt I was student at FEU. However, I very handsome, fun to be with, The world has lost her, but she left recall as soon as she heard and quite date worthy. About an imprint to all those she had about me as a medical clerk touched, that time, I met a beautiful from BCCM rotating To the children whom she cared student named Minerva and at Lungsod ng Kabataan in for and her students she left thought that it would be great to behind, Quezon City she called me to date her. I assumed that since She had left the legacy of love and her office and shared with me she was such a fine catch, it. caring, moral virtues and her latest book and some intellect, would be easy to visit her and experiences at Harvard. We, who she had mentored would eventually ask her for a date. I Engineer Honesto R Gacusan, forever be grateful would ask her out, she, of throughout our lives. my brother -in-law, who was course would say yes (because driving me with his Mercedez Goodbye, to beloved teacher who had of the fine catch I was) and we Benz videoed the two of us. The inspired and molded our young would go out. video camera was loaned to me minds, Not so fast. The student We’ll follow her footsteps of caring by a couple, Dr Francsico Tan quickly informed me that I was with unconditional love, and Dr Nena Eng Tan. Dr Eng not her type, that she would She now lives in peace with Almighty Tan was then the president of Lord, angels and saints, never date me and that she did the Philippine Federation of But her legacy and teachings will continue to page 15 continue to page 15 forever stay on earth. OBITUARY After Harvard, Dr Del Chicago and the FEUDNRSM Mundo had a residency at the Alumni Foundation reunion in FE DEL MUNDO MD University of Chicago and Las Vegas where she remem- A national treasure, Dr Fe research fellowship at the bered many alumni to the Del Mundo was born on Harvard Medical School surprise of everyone. November 27, 1911, and joined Children's Hospital, and also Dr Del Mundo was also noted our Lord on August 6, 2011. earned a bacteriology master for her pioneering work on degree at Boston University infectious diseases in Philippine School of Medicine. communities. She wrote over a Dr Del Mundo returned to hundred articles, reviews and reports in medical journals on such the Philippines in 1941, worked diseases as dengue, polio and with the International Red measles. Cross, volunteered to care for She also authored Textbook of children-internees then detained Pediatrics , a fundamental medical at the University of Santo text used in Philippine medical Tomas internment camp, and schools. later directed the North General Her legacy and her teachings Hospital (Jose R. Reyes have been immortalized in a coffee Memorial Medical Center). table book published in time for Dr Del Mundo joined the her 99th birthday last year, Dr Fe faculty of the University of Del Mundo: A Beautiful Life , that chronicled her accomplishments FE DEL MUNDO MD Santo Tomas, and later the Far and teachings. Her pioneering work in Eastern University in 1954. She died from cardiac arrest pediatrics spanned eight In 1957, she established the and buried at the Libingan ng mga decades and won her Children's Medical Center, a Bayani . international recognitions, 100-bed hospital located in Dr Del Mundo will be missed. including the Elizabeth Quezon City, the first pediatric Sources: Goggle, Wikipedia Blackwell Award for hospital in the Philippines, outstanding service to mankind renamed the Fe del Mundo An icon passes away in 1966, outstanding Children's Medical Center PHILIP S CHUA MD FACS FPCS pediatrician and humanitarian Foundation in 2007. by the International Pediatric Association, the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1977, the title of National Scientist of the Philippines in 1980, the Order of Lakandula in 2010, and many others. From left, Drs Farida Chua, Fe Del Graduating valedictorian in Mundo and P Chua. her UP Class 33 , she received a The Dr Fe Del Mundo Medical An international giant in medicine, full scholarship to any school in Center (Children's Medical petite Fe del Mundo, MD, who had the United States by President Center of the Philippines) touched countless lives in the Manuel Quezon. She chose She remained active, rising Philippines and around the world, died Harvard where in 1936 she daily at five in the morning and in her sleep August 6, 2011. She was became the first woman continuing to make her daily more than 99 years old, actually less admitted as a student at that rounds even though then than 3 months shy of 100. She had always aimed for the pinnacle and revered institution, the first wheelchair-bound at 99 years of age. excelled in every turn, even among her woman to be enrolled in medical peers, in her career and life, Dr Del Mundo likewise pediatrics, the first Asian, and and now, even in longevity and death. the first one coming from far attended and lectured at the Read it in Global ANG BALITA , way Philippines. APPA convention once in Wednesday, August 10 2011. voice in a debate, an act or FAITH CORNER decision made based on your REVEREND MELVIN ANTONIO MD 65 conscience, an act based on Have you ever heard of the or at its worst, genocide. In the your God-given skills. So what Butterfly days of Pharoah, it was the do you think you will do this Effect? It Hebrews. In pre-WWII week? is that Germany, it was the Jews. Like the Nike commercial theory Today, it could be illegal says, whatever it is, JUST DO proposed immigrants, welfare moms, IT! by gays, the undeserving poor, Edward furriners . Lorenz Back to Shiphrah and Puah. COMMENTS REV MELVIN that an act Pharoah, in his obsession to Editorials ANTONIO MD as suppress the prolific Hebrews, news releases insignifica first enslaves them, then resorts letters to the editor nt as the flapping of a to telling Hebrew midwives to column proposal and butterfly’s wings could cause kill all the Hebrew boys that manuscripts are invited. changes in the atmosphere that they deliver. The two midwives, Email submission, including may ultimately alter the path of Shiphrah and Puah refuse. figures or pictures, is a tornado. A similar illustration They do not kill the boys. It preferred. might be how a little pebble is a courageous act of dis- rolling down a hill picks up obedience that changes history, snow and starts an avalanche. for one of the boys they spared ECTOPIC Or the familiar Domino Effect. would be called Moses and he Based on these, what if I would lead the Hebrews out of MURMURS were to say that what you do Egyptian captivity. He will this week could change the deliver God’s law to humanity. world? What if I told you that It all starts with two women Deadline for the two women once made a who dared to say no to an act of October 2011 issue: decision, took a chance and injustice. I doubt very much that October 1, 2011 changed the world? What they they thought they were chang- did was a small gesture, but at ing the world. They were just Please address submissions to the same time, an act of being faithful and following the [email protected] heroism. They disobeyed. And dictates of their hearts and because of their disobedience, heeding the call of their God was able to rescue Israel conscience. from slavery. Their names are The things we do each week, Shiphrah and Puah. Not many our decisions, our choices, will Interested to establish a people remember their names in fact, cause a ripple effect that but their story is found in the we may never see.