Reigning Miss World Rolene Strauss was in Manila briefly at the inauguration of the new Pediatric Hema-Oncology Ward at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) recdntly. Julia Morley, chairman of the Miss World Organization, Cory Quirino, national director of Miss World Philippines, and Miss World 2013 Megan Young were with her.
Manila and graced the opening of a cancer ward at PGH
Strauss, the second South African to win Miss World led the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Young and Miss World Philippines 2013 Valerie Weigmann. The model and medical student at University of Freestate said that she was honored to be a part of the PGH project.
“It’s great to see the reflection of love and happiness in everyone’s eyes. I am a medical student back in South Africa and I know how hard work it is to be in a hospital, to work and give yourself up to the people around you. I would like to thank the doctors here for inviting me to do my internship at PGH, to continue a life of giving. Thank you for inspiring me to do better,” the 22-year-old, model said to warm applause of the crowd at the program.
Young and Quirino thanked the PGH and Morley for the fulfillment of making Beauty with a Purpose a living testimony of the humanitarian advocacy of the Miss World Organization. Morley thanked Alice for her generosity and Megan, whom she called her little ray of sunshine, for working diligently to support the Miss World Beauty with a Purpose. “For the past 40 years, we work to make a difference in this world, and someone up their helps us,” Morley said on Miss World’s efforts to support humanitarian projects all over the world.
The Hema-Oncology ward, built at a cost of P8 million pesos donated by Alice Eduardo, CEO of Sta. Elena Construction Corporation, was dedicated to the Miss World ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ charity foundation. The 320-sqm ward can accommodate 15 terminally-ill and immune-compromised cancer-stricken children for treatment and special care and features a pocket garden with a home setting where the patients can spend quality time with their families. The PGH Medical Foundation, Inc. has been a beneficiary of Miss World Philippines since 2010.