Maria Pilar Elisa T. Dayaw, MD

Neurological conditions used to be considered untreatable. They were difficult enough to diagnose, can be significantly debilitating, many are degenerative with limited treatment. Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, debilitating disease but the advances in diagnosis and management have made quite an impact on patients' lives. As a disease, it humbles me, but this encouraged me to do research and be involved in many aspects of my patients' care.

Patient care involves their overall well-being. This means always centering the care on the patient but involving the many facets of the patient's life, including ancillary care and services. Educating the patient and their family or friends is paramount to patient care and I make it a point to educate the patient not only on their condition but on their options regarding treatment, while also emphasizing their lifestyle.

Over the years, it is really caring for patients that is most important for me and I consider this my strength. By caring I mean, being their advocate and partner in their care. A physician must care enough to understand the value of learning about each and every patient because each patient is an N of 1, always different from the other. As their physician I must continue to educate myself, more importantly because this is the essence of good patient care. The patient also learns from his physician and the patient should be central to the planning. I tend to look forward to a manageable and hopeful future with my patients and their friends and/ or families, knowing this relationship will be a long term one. With transparency and education, I am able to give confidence to my patients that they are being taken care of competently.

I am busy raising twins, enjoy photography, painting and yoga. I am a pretty good cook but I am trying to master Spanish cooking from the source. I am involved with non-government organizations for livelihood projects, grass root education, medical outreach and missions in the Philippines.