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Cycling caravan
for young cancer patients
By Marlon Ramos
Inquirer Southern Luzon
SAN PEDRO, Laguna -- To
spread the truth about cancer and generate needed funds to help
poor pediatric cancer patients survive, hundreds of cyclists are
expected to join the 14-day cycling caravan dubbed as the “Bike
For Life 3: A journey of Courage and Hope” which will kick off
Sunday (September 16) in Muntinlupa.
On the first leg of the
caravan, cycling enthusiast Senator Pia Cayetano will lead the
pack of bikers who will leave Alabang Town Center at 7 a.m. on
their way to Batangas City where a forum about the cancer
disease is scheduled in the afternoon.
Organized by the Cancer
Warriors Foundation (CWF), the participants in the caravan also
include fathers and relatives of young cancer patients who are
beneficiaries of the foundation.
James Auste, CWF executive
director, said they expect to raise more than P1 million to help
them fund the medications of 80 pediatric patients under their
care.
“With this project, we want
not just to raise the consciousness of people about cancer but
more importantly, raise money for poor kids from the provinces (
who are afflicted with cancer),” Auste said in a mobile phone
interview.
Auste, himself a cyclist
and a brain cancer survivor, said the grueling 1,500-km caravan
will have 15 stops in major cities and towns from Luzon to
Mindanao.
He said during its initial
staging in June 2000, more than 10,000 people participated in
the caravan which was able to bring in more than P1 million for
their charity fund from the towns in southern Luzon and Visayas.
In August 2002, the second
edition of the bicycle caravan went to northern Luzon and was
able to generate P800, 000 for the foundation.
In a separate statement
sent to the Inquirer, CWF said poverty is the main reason why
children with cancer failed in their battle with the deadly
disease.
“Childhood cancer is an
unknown, growing menace in our society. Every three hours, one
Filipino child dies of cancer. What kills them is not the
disease itself but poverty -- the lack of funds and support for
seeking and completing medical treatment and care,” the group
said.
The group said that while
pediatric cancer patients in first world countries have a 90
percent probability of surviving the disease with proper
medications, children afflicted with cancer in poor countries
like the Philippines only have 20 percent of survival rate.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Breaking News / Regions
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view_article.php?article_id=88764 |
