Inspired by the unwavering faith and purposeful resolve of a Japanese samurai-turned-Catholic lay apostle who died in Manila in the 17th century, Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) unveiled the Blessed Takayama Center – which features the institution’s new Refractive Surgery Unit, and research facility – in a ceremony attended by hospital officials and luminaries from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM).
“Blessed Justo Takayama Ukon’s life was defined by clarity of purpose, a venerable intangible that we endeavor to emulate and embody at our new facility for refractive surgery and medical research,” remarked CSMC President and Chief Executive Officer Raul C. Pagdanganan.
The center’s namesake was the son of a daimyo, a Japanese feudal lord whose modern equivalent is that of a governor, who succeeded his father after the former’s retirement. While known as a brilliant strategist and a skilled samurai warrior, Takayama was also a fervent Christian who build churches and seminaries while helping covert thousands to the Catholic faith.
When Japanese authorities ordered feudal lords who were Christian to renounce their faith or give up their lands and titles, Blessed Justo chose to live in poverty in order to continue preaching the Gospel. He was later exiled along with fellow persecuted believers to Manila, where Takayama died just 44 days after his arrival having been weakened by years of hardship. He was beatified by Pope Francis in 2017.
“Blessed Takayama’s staunch conviction serves as an inspiration in our pursuit to advance medical research in the country in order to improve community health and uplift the lives of our countrymen and neighbors in faith,” cited Pagdanganan.
He also noted that espousing the conduct of groundbreaking research is aligned with the San Juan-based hospital’s vision to become a leader in innovative healthcare solutions that are backed by evidence-based clinical studies and outcomes.
The new facility likewise serves as the home of CSMC’s new Refractive Surgery Unit, which features safe and affordable procedures for vision correction such as LASIK, PRK, and SMILE eye surgeries.
The unit provides patients afflicted by myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism, and age-related presbyopia with the comfort of doing away with years of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses through surgical means at competitive rates.
“Just as Bl. Justo was devoted in building structures in Christ’s name, we remain purposeful in our commitment to invest in facilities, medical services, and innovations that provide optimism, relief, and compassionate care to our patients and their families,” CSMC’s top honcho concluded.
“We are steadfast in our conviction that high-quality healthcare should be accessible to all.”
