Hope From Within Marks a Decade of Advocacy on Patient Safety Day: A Stronger Call for Accessible Cancer Care for All Filipinos
New ‘Let’s Talk Lung’ chatbot soon to be unveiled as latest tool to empower patients and caregivers
On Patient Safety Day this September, Hope From Within (HFW), a multi-stakeholder cancer advocacy campaign spearheaded by MSD in the Philippines, marks its 10th anniversary with a renewed commitment to place Filipino cancer patients front and center of healthcare solutions.
The milestone celebration calls for intensified action to close persistent gaps in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment access across the country.
Since its inception in 2015, HFW has been at the forefront of efforts to redefine cancer care through education, patient empowerment, and policy advocacy. Over the years, the platform has reached more than 20 million Filipinos, mobilizing communities, patient groups, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to work together toward the full implementation and funding of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA).
“Every Filipino cancer patient deserves the best possible chance, not just to survive, but to live well,” said Andreas Riedel, President and Managing Director of MSD in the Philippines. “Hope From Within was founded on the belief that patients should always be at the heart of healthcare decisions. Ten years on, our mission is stronger than ever: to find real solutions that close the cancer care gap, make treatment accessible, and give every patient the dignity of hope.”
Advocating for Patient Safety and Advancing Precision Medicine
Patient Safety Day 2025 highlights that true safety in cancer care means more than preventing harm, it requires timely diagnosis, affordable treatment, and equitable access to innovative therapies. For many Filipinos, these remain out of reach, creating urgent gaps in care that HFW seeks to close.
Hope From Within has become more than a campaign, it is a movement that opens doors for patients,” added Allan Ancheta, Business Unit Director for Oncology at MSD in the Philippines. “Whether it’s supporting access to early screening, expanding treatment options, or building partnerships that empower communities, HFW has been about making quality cancer care a reality for more Filipinos. Our commitment is to continue breaking barriers so no patient is left behind.
Through initiatives such as Cancer Game Plan PH and Tita Hope Talks, HFW has pushed for stronger healthcare infrastructure, better financing models, and sustained cancer assistance funds. Building on these efforts, HFW expanded into precision medicine with the launch of the “Hit the Mark” campaign in 2024. The initiative brings together patient groups, medical societies, laboratories, and healthcare companies to champion equitable access to biomarker testing and personalized treatment for lung cancer patients.
Initially launched with Hi-Precision Diagnostics, Hit the Mark has recently welcomed Detoxicare Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory as a partner. With one unified form, eligible patients can now access lung cancer biomarker tests, including EGFR and PD-L1, with convenience, giving oncologists critical tools to recommend the most appropriate treatment options from the start.
“We cannot talk about patient safety without addressing accessibility,” Riedel emphasized. “Safety is compromised when treatment is delayed or denied. That is why we continue working with partners to strengthen the cancer care continuum, whether through financing reforms, awareness campaigns, or biomarker testing so that every Filipino patient gets the care they need, when they need it.”
Empowering Patients with Digital Tools
In line with its mission to provide patient-centered resources, HFW is also launching soon Let’s Talk Lung, a new AI-powered chatbot available on the campaign’s website. The chatbot offers patients, caregivers, and the public quick, reliable answers to questions about lung cancer, from understanding symptoms and diagnostic tests.
This digital innovation builds on HFW’s award-winning platform, expanding its capacity to empower patients with accurate, accessible, and easy-to-understand information anytime, anywhere.
A Decade of Impact, A Future of Possibilities
From championing the passage of NICCA in 2019 to helping secure increased cancer assistance funding in recent years, HFW’s decade-long journey reflects the power of sustained advocacy. With partners across government, healthcare, and patient communities, MSD in the Philippines is committed to driving forward a single, unifying goal: equitable, comprehensive, and safe cancer care for every Filipino.
“Ten years is just the beginning,” Riedel concluded. “We will keep working until every Filipino patient feels seen, heard, and supported, and until no one has to fight cancer alone.”