 FORMER
SPSA PRESIDENT FORMS HYDROCEPHALUS FOUNDATION
Indiana neurosurgeon and former president of the Society of
Philippine Surgeons in America Manuel Cacdac has recently
formed the Hydrocephalus Foundation of the Philippines. In
January 2010, shortly after SPSA missions to Palawan and Pasig,
Dr. Cacdac and a few friends at a benefactor’s residence conceived
the creation of a foundation that would deal with children
who have hydrocephalus and be operated on before their brain
mantle is gone. The founding members and a few benefactors
were able to raise one million pesos as seed money to have
the foundation registered with the Philippine Securities and
Exchange Commission. The Board of Trustees include Manuel
Cacdac, MD, Chairman, Eduardo R. Puno, Virgilio M. Raymundo,
Juan V. David, Jr. and Bernardo J.B. Mitra Sr.. as members.
The Foundation’s mission is to raise awareness about the plight
of indigent children with hydrocephalus and provide financial
assistance for the early diagnosis and subsequent surgery
to give these children the opportunity to grow and develop
as normal human beings. It is estimated that surgical and
hospital cost will be about PhP50,000 per child.
Dr. Cacdac says that since 2007, we the help of the Kapwa
Ko Mahal Ko Foundation, Harley and Debbie Sy of the SM foundation,
few local neurosurgeons in the Philippines, some 200 children
have had ventriculo-peritoneal shunts to date. Shunts are
graciously donated by Codman, IntegralLifesciences Inc. and
Medtronics Neurological Division.
The Foundation’s Philippine Address is 66 West Avenue, Quezon
City, Phone 632.373.4084 Fax 632.415.0008. The US address
is P.O. Box 2039, Terre haute, IN 47803. Phone is (812) 236.3724.
Dr. Cacdac who is also SPSA’s Convention Chairman and co-chairs
the Surgical Mission of the Society, has been shuttling between
the US and the Philippines to help raise funds for the foundation
as well as perform the V-P shunts for the hydrocephalic children.
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