Press Release - From hospital halls to the dance floor -- How Bong Go and the Malasakit Center helped Cebuana dancer Carrie Samson return to DanceSport

When Carrie "Icy" Samson first learned she had stage 3 ovarian cancer at just 16 years old, her immediate concern was not about her future or survival but a question she asked her doctor: "Pwede pa ba ako makasayaw?" Her passion for dance, which had blossomed since she was 13, was an essential part of her life, and giving it up felt unimaginable.

Now 26 years old and cancer-free, Carrie is now competing on one of the country's biggest stages, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) Cebu Open 2024, held from September 13 to 15 in Cebu City. The event was supported by Senator Christopher "Bong" Go as Chair of the Senate Sports Committee in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission.

The young woman who once feared she would never dance again is now gliding across the floor with grace and determination--her comeback fueled by both personal resolve and a support system that made her recovery possible.

Carrie's battle with cancer took her through grueling treatments that stretched over six months in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City where the first Malasakit Center was established in 2018.

During that time, she endured the physical and emotional toll of chemotherapy, which left her bedridden for days, sapped her strength, and nearly drained her hope. But she never let go of the thought of returning to dance.

Her journey toward healing was supported in large part by the assistance she received from the Malasakit Center, a government initiative spearheaded by Go in 2018. The program aims to provide financial support to Filipinos facing overwhelming medical expenses.

For Carrie, this program was life-changing.

"Sa laboratories, daku kaayo ang natabang sa laboratories, mga tambal nila. Sila gyuy usa sa mga nakatabang gyud sa amo (Sa mga laboratory tests, malaki ang naitulong nila, pati sa mga gamot. Kaya isa sila sa mga nakatulong talaga sa akin)," Carrie recalled, reflecting on the financial burden that her family faced during her treatment.

"Katong panahona, akong gusto ra gyud nga makabalik ko sa pagsayaw. Ganahan lang ko nga i-express nako ang akong feelings ilabi na karon nga naka survive ko, ganahan ko nga, samtang buhi pa ko ron, ma