The patients who passed the initial screening will undergo the necessary laboratory tests and final screening for the surgical procedures, a press release from sponsors said.

The 126 qualified beneficiaries are from the Third District – Victorias, EB Magalona, Silay, Talisay and Murcia. The rest of the 77 patients are residents of Sagay, Bacolod, Bago, Valladolid, San Enrique, La Castellana, Hinigaran, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Ilog, Cauayan, Sipalay, and Hinobaan.

Dominique “Nikki” Lopez Benitez, president of the Nikki Cares Foundation, and wife of former Rep.Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, partnered with the Makati Medical Center Foundation to reach indigent patients mostly with cases of hernia, gall stones, ovarian cyst, cleft lip and palate, myoma, hemorrhoids, polyp, goiter and similar conditions that may require minor or major surgery.

The Nikki Cares “Libre nga Operasyon” was started in 2017 and has already conducted four surgical missions in Silay City, San Carlos City and Kabankalan City hospitals serving 874 patients, 581 of whom underwent minor operations and 293 major surgeries, the press release said.

The September surgical mission this year, is the fifth, with volunteer doctors and nurses from the Makati Medical Center.

The Nikki Cares pre-screening medical team included OB consultants Dr. Erwin Dizon, Dr. Natividad Soler, Dr. Maria Asuncion Manalastas, and surgery consultants Dr. Joaquin Manalastas, Dr. Michelle Angela Meer Anievas and Dr, Al Jazzer Angas..

Nikki Benitez, together with Makati Medical Center Foundation executive director Mary Margaret Barro and program director Angelyn Ileto, supervised the two-day screening.

Providing support to the Nikki Cares medical mission are the Office of Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, Betty Bantug Benitez Foundation, Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital through medical director Dr. Ma.Estrella Ledesma, Negros Occidental provincial government through Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Silay City government through Mayor Mark Golez, and the mayors of the towns and cities of the province, the press release added.*