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A cancer diagnosis can change a life and the cost of care can reshape a family’s future. As Breast Cancer Awareness Month closes this October, InLife is championing early detection and comprehensive health protection to help Filipinos face both challenges with greater confidence.
For InLife University Senior Assistant Vice President and Business Development Head Fay Cuadra, that commitment is personal. After more than 20 years in the insurance industry, she found herself navigating the uncertainties she had long helped others prepare for.
A routine Executive Check-Up flagged a breast abnormality requiring a biopsy, despite the absence of pain or noticeable symptoms. “When you hear those words, it feels like time has suddenly stopped. You can spend years advising people about protection and preparing for the unexpected, but when you become the patient, everything feels different,” Fay recalls.
Following her cancer diagnosis, Cuadra underwent neoadjuvant therapy, a mastectomy with breast reconstruction, and radiation therapy. Today, she marks one year with No Evidence of Disease (NED), meaning current examinations and tests show no detectable cancer.
Her initial diagnostic procedures exhausted her inpatient Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) limits. Breast surgery cost approximately ₱800,000, followed by ₱585,000 for radiation therapy. Six months later, she underwent another major procedure, a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy with Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy (TAHBSO), costing an additional ₱700,000. Even with PhilHealth benefits, PWD discounts, corporate leave benefits, and personal insurance payouts, the financial burden remained considerable. “Your HMO, group hospitalization coverage, and individual insurance policies may have different benefits, limits, and conditions. It is important to understand how these work together and identify any gaps in your protection,” Cuadra explains.
Closing the gap with InLife Global Care
To help Filipino families address these gaps, InLife offers InLife Global Care, a comprehensive health insurance solution with up to ₱125 million in annual coverage and access to accredited hospitals, clinics, and specialists in the Philippines and abroad.
Its benefits extend beyond hospitalization to eligible outpatient consultations, diagnostic scans, and monitoring therapies. The plan also offers cashless service options through supported providers, guaranteed annual renewability up to age 99, and worldwide emergency coverage of up to ₱12.5 million outside the selected coverage area, subject to policy terms and conditions.
“Healthcare confidence is knowing that when a serious medical situation happens, you have choices, resources, and someone you can rely on to help you move forward. InLife Global Care aims to provide all these and more so Filipinos can have access to quality healthcare without compromising everything they worked hard for. This is what we mean by World-class care, Filipino heart, and InLife certainty,” states InLife Chief Product and Innovation Officer Jose Eduardo O. Ang.
A milestone of gratitude and action
For Cuadra, protection also meant having people beside her. She credits her husband, family, and InLife colleagues for supporting her recovery, including InLife President Raoul Littaua, who personally encouraged her to focus on healing. “Cancer treatment does not end when you leave the hospital or complete your surgery. Follow-up consultations, blood tests, monitoring scans, medications, and ongoing medical care became important parts of my recovery. You have to consider the entire healthcare journey, not just the initial hospital bill,” she emphasizes.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, Fay encourages women not to delay preventive check-ups or wait for symptoms before seeking medical advice. “Early detection can make a difference in identifying cancer and understanding your treatment options. Do not postpone the check-up that could change your life,” she says.
Through InLife Global Care and its continuing call for preventive care, InLife encourages Filipinos to take two essential steps: prioritize their health and prepare financially for the care they may need.
