Dr. Willie Ong was diagnosed with cancer

“It is serious, but I will fight this battle,” says Dr. Willie Ong

MANILA, Philippines – Cardiologist and online health star Dr. Willie Ong, also known as Doc Willie, announced on Saturday, September 14, that he is battling pancreatic cancer.

“It is serious, but I will fight this battle. For all cancer patients in the Philippines, together we will get better,” Ong said in a Facebook video.

Ong said his tumor was “very large.”

“One of the most severe cases they have ever seen,” he added, adding that he has been suffering from “shortness of breath, fatigue and difficulty swallowing” since April 2023.

In October 2023, Ong began experiencing back pain. “The worst pain of my life. Ten out of ten. You'll cry. I cried all night in pain. Like a knife stabbing you in the back,” he said.

Ong rose to prominence through his social media videos giving medical advice to Filipinos. He was a senatorial candidate in the 2019 elections and ran as the vice presidential candidate of former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno in the 2022 elections. – Rappler.com