MANILA, Philippines — Actress Kaye Abad revealed that she quietly battled breast cancer over the past year and has now been declared cancer-free.
Sharing her emotional health journey in a birthday vlog titled “My Journey” on her YouTube channel, Abad documented the moment her doctor finally delivered the news she had been waiting for after months of treatment and uncertainty.
“She declared, ‘As of now, you can declare that you’re a survivor and you’re cancer-free.’ I’ve been waiting for this day,” Abad said quoting her doctor as she tearfully embracing husband Paul Jake Castillo.
The actress said she began filming the vlog at the start of her treatment journey without knowing what challenges she would eventually face.
“From the very first day I started filming for this vlog, I had no idea what was ahead of me. I didn’t know what treatments I would go through, how hard the journey would be, or if I would even survive it,” she wrote in the vlog caption.
“For one year, there were so many moments of fear, uncertainty and pain. But there was also so much faith, hope and love that carried me through. And today, I can finally say I am a cancer survivor,” she added.
Abad said the vlog was especially meaningful because it documented an entire year of her life while undergoing treatment, including the physical and emotional effects she experienced along the way.
“This episode is very special to me. I decided to release it on my birthday,” she said. “This will explain why I’ve been very strict with my sugar diet, why I suddenly developed melasma, why my skin became darker even without going to the beach or swimming, why I experienced brain fog and why I became easily stressed.”
She also reflected on how she chose to face the illness privately while continuing to appear strong for those around her.
“To my family, my friends, my viewers and my supporters, I didn’t pretend I wasn’t sick. I just pretended to be well,” she said.
In the vlog, Abad traced the beginning of her health scare to September 2024, when she began experiencing severe stomach pain that she initially believed was caused by hyperacidity.
“I became alarmed because it would last for six hours,” she recalled.
Tests later revealed multiple gallstones, leading to surgery to remove her gallbladder. Following the procedure, her gastroenterologist advised her to undergo a mammogram because of her age.
Although initially hesitant out of fear of what doctors might find, Abad eventually underwent the procedure in January 2025. Doctors also monitored a cyst discovered in her ovary during an ultrasound.
The mammogram results later raised alarm. In the vlog, her doctor described the findings as “really suspicious” and categorized them as “4C,” indicating a high suspicion for malignancy. The doctor also noted the presence of a mass, skin retractions and enlarged lymph nodes in the right axilla.
“It’s definitely an urgent matter. The sooner you address this, the better,” the doctor told her.
Abad later consulted a breast surgeon, and she and Castillo decided to continue further tests and treatment in Singapore. One of the most difficult parts of the ordeal, she shared, was preparing to leave her children behind while seeking treatment abroad.
“The hardest part is that I’ll be away from the kids,” she said while packing for the trip.
Throughout the journey, Abad said her faith kept her grounded during moments of uncertainty and fear.
“I know the Lord will never abandon me because He has always been there for me,” she said.
“My faith in God is strong, and I know He will never leave me. God is good, always. I know He is there, especially now that I need Him more than ever.”