Epy Quizon shares how Dolphy dealt with COPD

Dolphy, real name Rodolfo Quizon Sr. and the country's King of Comedy , made millions of Filipinos laugh with his antics and perfect comedic timing.

But behind the scenes over the last years of his life, the beloved comedian suffered from a deadly lung disease.

At the age of 79, he was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). He passed away in 2012 at the age of 83 after four years of battling the disease and its complications.

To give light on COPD, Dolphy's son Epy Quizon bravely shared how the lung ailment affected the zest and vibrance of the country's premiere comedian.

"It was really terrible watching someone who was sharp and powerful--he was powerful in my eyes--suddenly deteriorate in front of you... Suddenly you see him fragile. He can't even walk ten steps to get to where he wants to go without stopping and pausing and catching his breath," he said in an event aimed to improve awareness on COPD on Thursday.

"From him understanding 'I love you' to him not hearing at all.... Sometimes you see him there but you can't hear words coming out of his mouth. He had a hard time speaking already," he added.

Epy revealed that at the height of Dolphy's COPD, he couldn't walk 10 steps without stopping to catch his breath pic.twitter.com/PrE2DdCfyA

— Trisha Macas (@trishamacas) November 26, 2015

Dr. Bernice Ong-Dela Cruz of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) explained that the lung ailment has various symptoms and complications.

Its symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, chronic cough, and even weight loss, Dr. Bernice Ong-Dela Cruz of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) said.

"Ang COPD hindi lang lungs eh. It has systemic effects eh. If the heart is affected, namamanas din sila... Minsan pumuputok na ang lungs, nagkakahanging, nagkaka-complications," she said.

COPD is a progressive lung ailment that makes breathing difficult because of the narrowing of airways caused by inflammation and mucus buildup. Experts all said that the disease may lead to death. According to Department of Health (DOH), it is one of the leading causes of mortality in the Philippines.

Although patients cannot be cured from COPD, it is a highly preventable and treatable disease, the doctor stressed.

Unfortunately, only two percent of the 4.2 million Filipinos who may have COPD are diagnosed, according to Ong-Dela Cruz. Most of them were caught in the later stages of the disease when they hit 50s or 60s. But these diagnoses are considered late since COPD can begin in the 40s.

According to the Mayo Clinic, COPD is diagnosed through spirometry, which assessed test how well the lungs work by measuring how much air patient inhales and how quickly and how much he or she exhales.

"The problem here in our country, nakikita lang natin medyo late stage na kasi culture natin, they don't consult [doctors] diba. The earlier the better. Why? Kasi you can slow down the progression. Mas babagal ang progress COPD," she said.

COPD is caused by cigarette smoking, air pollution, and exposure to biomass fuel. But cigarette smoking causes 80-90 percent of COPD case.

Although doctors can prescribe medication to manage and slow down the progress COPD, nothing is better than avoiding the disease altogether.

Quit smoking and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke and unhealthy air as much as possible, Ong-Dela Cruz said.

"Nasa huli ang pagsisisi," she added. —NB, GMA News