OVERSHADOWED by the accolades and festivities for double gold medalist Carlos Yulo and bronze medalist boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas was St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City’s noble contribution to the success of Team Philippines in the recent Paris 2024 Olympics.
Renowned sports medicine expert Dr. Jose Raul Canlas and St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City worked on fencer Samantha Catantan’s ruptured left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last Friday–all for free.
“It’s an interesting story,” said Canlas, a member of the FIBA and head of the Philippine Olympic Committee medical committees and director of the hospital’s Institute of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. “I did the major surgery on Sam’s knees and when the administration of St. Luke’s found out that she’s an Olympian, all her hospital bills were waived.”
POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino thanked St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City for its noble contribution to Philippine sports.
“Sam, just like the rest of our athletes, is a national treasure, regardless of whether she medaled in her Olympic debut or not in Paris,” said Tolentino, who also thanked Canlas, president of the national surfing association, for his valuable help for the Paris Olympian.
Catantan, 22, thanked th St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City headed by its CEO and president Dennis Serrano, Canlas and the POC for their all-out support and prayers for the surgery to be successful.
