Colorectal cancer: What you need to know

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Colorectal cancer is one of the most curable types of gastrointestinal cancer, if found early.

Do you experience diarrhea or constipation that lasts for days, abdominal pain and rectal bleeding? Get yourself screened for bowel cancer. Also known as colorectal cancer, it is a malignant tumor that develops in the lining of the large intestine and can spread to nearby organs or to glands called lymph nodes.

“Bowel cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the Philippines but it is highly preventable and treatable when diagnosed early. Filipinos should have sufficient information of the disease to know how it can be prevented or managed,” says Dr. Nicky Montoya, president of MediCard Philippines.

Here are essential facts about bowel cancer:

It can be colon cancer or rectal cancer.

Bowel cancer can start in the colon (colon cancer) or in the rectum, which is the last 12 centimetres of the large intestine (rectal cancer). The difference in location requires different methods of treatments.

It usually starts as polyps.

Most bowel cancer cells start as polyps, which are abnormal growths in the inner lining of the colon and rectum. Polyps are not malignant except for one type called adenoma, which becomes cancerous over time and multiplies to form a tumor. 

Its risk increases with age.

Polyps normally appear as people get older and adenoma develops into cancerous cells in about 10 years. This explains why majority of those who are diagnosed with bowel cancer are 50 years old and above. The disease can also develop in younger people although it occurs much less frequently.

It can be triggered by poor diet and an unhealthy lifestyle.

“Bad food” and lack of exercise can build up toxins in the colon. Studies link bowel cancer to a diet that’s low in fiber and high in fat and calories. Cigarette smokers, heavy alcohol drinkers, obese people, and those who have sedentary lifestyles are also prone to developing the disease. 

Its crucial symptoms are changes in bowel habit.

Signs of bowel cancer include prolonged diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, vomiting, rectal bleeding, bloating, and a relentless feeling of moving your bowels even when you’ve just finished doing so. You may also see blood in your stool. Physically, you may experience weakness, fatigue and rapid weight loss.

It is 90 percent curable when diagnosed early.

Bowel cancer may not cause any symptoms during its early stage, which underlines the importance of regular colorectal cancer screenings and tests including colonoscopy, CT colonography, flexible sigmoidoscopy, double-contrast barium enema (DCBE), Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test, fecal immunochemical test (FIT), and stool DNA test. 

Treatments include surgery (removal of polyps before they become cancerous), chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted drug therapy. While no alternative treatment has been proven to cure bowel cancer, certain techniques can help relieve distress from the disease, including yoga, music therapy and relaxation exercises.

The MediCard Lifestyle Center offers endoscopy and other quality medical services. 

Visit its website at http://medicardphils.com for more information.

Creating a Benchmark for Volunteerism and Social Responsibility: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

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Can volunteer engagement be a prominent part of what your brand stands for? The answer is YES.

Long before corporate social responsibility and volunteerism became a buzzword for brands and corporations, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has already made it an intrinsic mission and company philosophy. 

It’s a commitment that they took on back in 2008, when they started the Give In To Giving, 12 Cups with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf campaign, an initiative designed to share this mission with its loyal customers. 

“It began by taking something that was relevant to customers at the time—the “planner craze,” if you will— and creating something more meaningful that could be an extension of our commitment as a brand to giving back. What spurred out of this intention was a Commemorative Notebook that became a medium for us, and our patrons, to support advocacies in need and share their blessings. It was and continues to be the only journal that encourages more purposeful action towards ones’ social responsibility,” explained Paolo del Rosario, Vice President for Marketing of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Customers were asked to collect 12 stamps and choose from any of the 12 advocacies and organizations that The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was supporting. These ranged from women’s groups, to children, animals, the environment, indigenous people or those with disabilities and illnesses. Completing all 12 stamps meant the customer could bring home the commemorative notebook that featured artworks from contemporary Filipino artists and proceeds collected went to each customer’s chosen organization. The original artworks featured in the covers of the Commemorative Notebook were also auctioned and were donated to the charities. 

The entire campaign was such a success that not only was it well received by loyal patrons; it also won numerous awards. 

The following year, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf introduced its follow up with 24 Cups of Goodwill, where proceeds from the campaign were given to its 24 partner organizations. In 2010, for Changing Lives with Every Cup, they shifted their focus on sending scholars to school by partnering with Real Life Foundation and their Adopt-a-Scholar program, where the company was successfully able to send 8 scholars to university. 

In 2012, they continued their efforts with the iBuild campaign, which helped raise sustainable housing solutions for impoverished families. And by 2014, they introduced the Brew Your Best Year campaign, which evolved their efforts into giving back to their loyal patrons by helping them give back to themselves as well. Through this initiative, they hope to help each person in their journey towards becoming the best version of themselves. 

Their efforts through the years prove how a brand can become meaningful in addressing social change. 

“It’s so much more than being well-intentioned; because at the end of the day, taking on social responsibility has to be part of a brand’s DNA,” says del Rosario. 

Is it naïve to expect businesses to take on a responsibility as great as this, the way The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf did? 

Not necessarily. 

Companies today, locally and worldwide, are putting more focus on developing a culture of volunteerism and social responsibility—recognizing how working together can make a real difference in the community, while at the same time opening up opportunities for learning, cooperation and leadership within the organization. 

What makes The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®’s efforts stand out however, is the sincerity that drives their initiatives, where they have managed to uplift the true essence of what it truly means to care. 

Case-in-point, expanding annual efforts to now cover a full year of advocacies. 

Consistently, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf brings people together to participate in various community outreach events. “We place great effort into putting such events together not only for the sole purpose of helping the community, but also to encourage our own Customers and Team Members to spend meaningful time bringing joy to others in an impactful and sincere way,” explains Nella Lomotan, Engagement Marketing for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

These pocket initiatives, held monthly, are part of the Caring Cup series. And whether it’s a simple story telling event in a hospital, a physical fitness session with public school students, a tree planting project, an art workshop for children with disabilities, each event is designed to foster the spirit of volunteerism and giving among its participants. 

In fact, last February 14, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf made sure to create an avenue to give love and receive love as they mounted the “Paint the Town Red this Valentines’ event. Volunteers spent the day of love giving love to children with disabilities at AIME home via a t-shirt painting activity with the intent of giving kids something that they will always remember. 

“The Caring Cup is a way for us to expand and uphold a vision that we have long established for the company, where we hope to cultivate the spirit of volunteerism in our Community. We strongly encourage everyone who wants to be a part of something that impacts the life of others in a meaningful way to visit our stores and sign up for our next events.” ends del Rosario. 

Follow The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s social media pages and subscribe to www.brewyourbestyear.com to stay updated on their Caring Cup events.

Facebook: facebook.com/coffeebeanphilippines

Instagram: instagram.com/cbtlph

Twitter: twitter.com/cbtlph

Summer Workshop Treats 2015 : Hip Hop Dance Workshop with Margherita “Meg” Vasselli at Ballet Ph Dance School starting April 8

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Learn New Style Hiphop with Margherita Vasselli

Looking for a way to up your hip hop game? Grab this opportunity to train under Italian choreographer and Hip Hop International Elite Judge Margherita Vasselli.

As part of the 46th annual CCP Summer Dance Workshop, Margherita “Meg” Vasselli joins in the Ballet Philippines tradition of bringing together budding dancers who are eager to learn. In this case, she will enrich advanced hip hop students’ vocabularies in New Style Hiphop.

Vasselli started her dance training at the age of 6 in ballet, contemporary, and modern dance. In 1999, she started studying hip hop with Italian and foreign choreographers. She also became a teacher in dance schools and a Hip Hop Presenter in Italy, Europe, and Brazil. In 2003 she started to work with Hip Hop International. This was the most important moment in her professional life, because she started to met the most important names of the Hip Hop movement, in USA and around the world. That same year, she became a certified international hip hop judge in Miami (Florida) and every year since then she attended the international course, focusing her attention both on the artistic side as well as on the technical side of the competition routines. She became an Elite Judge for Hip Hop International in 2014 and is currently is the judge director of Hip Hop International in Italy, Brazil and UK.

Train with HHI Elite Judge this summer at Ballet Philippines Dance School

New Style Hip Hop emerged with the rise of hip hop choreography in music videos. Dancers alternately move through and hit the music’s beats and typically utilize their flexibility and isolate specific body parts. With the fundamental hip hop techniques as guidelines, they can learn how to freestyle with musicality, at the same time stay true to the hip hop genre.

Margherita Vasselli will hold classes every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 4:00PM to 6:00PM at Ballet Philippines Studio One starting April 8 until May 2, 2015. A special master class for choreographers will be held on May 9, 2015.

The Ballet Philippines Dance School (BPDS) is the professional training ground of the country’s most promising young talents in dance. With a unique curriculum that encompasses various dance styles and techniques, the systematized method and approach to instruction takes highly into account children’s anatomy and psyche at various ages and levels so that the training is physically safe, technically effective and artistically enriching for students of all ages.

Connect to the Ballet Philippines Dance School online through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ccpdanceschool

www.facebook.com/bpdanceschoolaura

Twitter: @balletph

Instagram: @ccpdanceschool

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/balletph

See you at the studio!

Fortune Magazine Named Tupperware Brands as One of the Most Admired Companies in the World

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Manila, Philippines – Tupperware Brands was cited in the 2015 World’s Most Admired Companies list for eight straight years by Fortune Magazine. The company is ranked on the annual list under the Home Equipment, Furnishings category.

Tupperware Brands was cited in the 2015 World’s Most Admired Companies list for eight straight years by Fortune Magazine. The company is ranked on the annual list under the Home Equipment, Furnishings category.

Throughout the years, Tupperware Brands has been unwavering in its commitment to Enlighten, Educate and Empower women and their families across the globe. With extreme passion to change lives in every one of its millions of sales force, Tupperware Brands continues to provide limitless income opportunities and develop innovative and world-class products, like Tupperware, that has been a staple in homes for over 50 years. 

Product brands and categories include design-centric preparation, storage and serving solutions for the kitchen; plus beauty, personal care, and baby care products for the whole family.

"More than this award, the assurance that we are able to carry out our commitment in empowering and improving lives of Filipinos in support of Tupperware Brands’ global mission to change lives through opportunity, support and relationships, year on year, is what we are most grateful for," says Mr. Graciano Pangilinan Jr., Tupperware Philippines President and Managing Director. 

“This continues to inspire us here in Tupperware Brands Philippines to aggressively come out and reinvent our products and improve our communication strategies to reach more Filipino families and be their partner in achieving their growth potential," Mr. Pangilinan continues. 

Fortune Magazine based their ranking for the World’s Most Admired Companies in the World on nine key attributes including innovativeness, sound financials, value as a long-term investment, to name a few. Tupperware Brands was noted for global competitiveness, ranking first within the industry in that category. 

The company ranked second in innovation and use of corporate assets in its industry. Other criteria contributing to the ranking includes social responsibility, people management, quality of products/services, and quality of management, financial soundness and long-term investment value.

The Fortune World's Most Admired Companies list is seen as the report card on corporate reputation. Over 660 companies from 29 countries around the world were surveyed by over 4,000 participants in the process of creating the 2015 list. The rankings reflect the observations and opinions of industry executives, directors and analysts. The 2015 list can be found in the March 1, 2015 issue of the magazine, as well as online.

Tupperware Brands Philippines is the authorized distributor of some of the world’s prestigious brands including Tupperware, Colour Collection, Ivana, White Result, Wonderbra, Playtex, Hanes, Baby Care Plus+, and Kids Plus+. 

Demi Lovato to Mesmerize Filipino Lovatics in Demi World Tour in Manila

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Wilbros Live ushers in 12-time Teen Choice Awards winner, American actress, singer, and songwriter Demi Lovato to Manila to perform a one-night only show on April 30, 2015, 8PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Demi Lovato is widely known for her incomparable vocal prowess, the various television shows she starred in, her role as Mitchie in Disney film Camp Rock which elevated her to fame, and as one of the prominent judges of the American X Factor. 

In her previous and third tour, Neon Lights, Demi reached out to the fans all the more by imparting with them the trying times of her life. Billboard considers Demi’s sharing of her past struggles the “most interesting aspect” of the show. The singer-songwriter and actress conveyed to the audience her withdrawal from a world tour to enter a treatment facility due to “physical and emotional issues”. Billboard adds, “As much as Lovato has evolved as a performer since that scary period in her life, however, she has admirably made that past the visible bedrock of her artistry”. 

For this tour, musician, singer-songwriter, actor, and Demi’s old friend, Nick Jonas, took on the role of creative and musical director. 

On May 29, 2014, Demi announced the “Demi World Tour”, her fourth headlining concert tour and her second tour supporting her fourth studio album, Demi. The multi-talented artist says that she will be adding new songs and new covers to the Demi World Tour, and she will be doing things she did not get to do in her previous tour, Neon Lights. 

In Demi’s performance at Mohegan Sun Arena, MassLive.com expressed that she “offered up a genuine, artistic, and insightful 90-minute performance before the sold-out house”. 

Backed by a full band, a dance team, and two back-up singers, Demi set the stage ablaze with “Really Don’t Care” as her first song. 

The multi-faceted singer exhibited versatility in this tour as she shifted “Catch Me” and “Don’t Forget” into acoustic, alt-folk ballads, and deviated from the pop path of “My Love Is Like A Star” and bent more on R&B. 

The Guardian narrated that Demi showcased her collection of pop hits in Barclays Center in Brooklyn while magnificently expressing the themes of love, independence, and acceptance.

Demi effortlessly communicated with the audience in between songs. Orlando Sentinel shares that in the star’s show at the Amway Theater, she told her beloved Lovatics, “I want you to lose yourself in the music. Music is the most beautiful thing in the world.”

Her song “Warrior” which voices out the theme of empowerment was a brilliant coalescence of the mood and the message of the song. MassLive.com illustrated that the set’s centrepiece was built around the piano ballad “Warrior” which followed her journey to Kenya. Orlando Sentinel stated that Demi played an intricate piano introduction and assured the audience that it was okay to make mistakes. 

Demi Lovato naturally captivates the audience not only with her electrifying voice, but also her genuine character and enthralling charisma. 

“For her fans, Demi is a hero, an inspiration, and a lifesaver. Filipino Lovatics had experienced her care and passion for her fans during her first concert in 2013,” affirms a Lovatic Demi Lovato Philippines, the Demi Lovato fan community in the country. “[We] can't wait to see [our] hero perform more songs and hits such as Let It Go, Skyscraper, and Neon Lights in Manila!" he adds.

Experience this and more at Demi Lovato LIVE in Manila at the Mall of Asia Arena on April 30, 2015, presented by Wilbros Live co presented by Fox and Star World in cooperation with MYX, Mellow 947, RX 93.1, 99.5 Play FM, Home Radio 97.9 Natural, Barangay LS FM, 106.7 Energy FM, Philstar.com, Inquirer.net, ClickTheCity.com, Pep.PH, Rappler, Manila Concert Scene, Philippine Concerts, Soundcheck Manila, Business World, The Philippine Star, Astroplus, Odyssey, Business World, Chalk, Star Studio, Total Girl, Candy, HDI Admix and MCA Music Inc. 

Get your tickets now at SMTICKETS.COM or call 4702222.