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Artist walks across Luzon for kids with cancer


On January 11 (Monday), Tomas Leonor, a 27-year-old UP artist and mountaineer will begin his walking expedition from Pagudpod to Sorsogon in an effort to raise funds for children with cancer. Step Juan is envisioned to be a project where each step is “a step for life." Leonor first met the Cancer Warriors in July 2008, when he helped a photographer friend cover a basketball fund-raising event of the foundation. Upon meeting the children, he felt a calling. “Nahulog yung loob ko sa kanila and for the cause," shared Leonor. Leonor has since been involved in the foundation’s activities. This time, he is going a step further to do something on his own. The idea of Step Juan is a walking expedition from Pagudpud to Sorsogon, without any means of vehicular assistance for several weeks, straight, stopping only for food and rest. “The backbone and foundation for this idea is to raise funds for the cancer children under the Cancer Warriors Foundation," proclaims the statement in the Step Juan website. Asked if he feels confident about the task ahead, Leonor says he can hardly wait. “May halong kaba, but then I’m really excited. Hindi na nga ako nakakatulog," said Leonor in a press conference Thursday morning, three days before the walk is set to begin on January 11.

From top left, clockwise: Karl is custom-made for Leonor's dimensions; Leonor straps a StepJuan poster onto Karl; Also a member of Greenpeace, Leonor shows his solar panel charger; Designed to withstand rough weather conditions, Karl is going places with Leonor. Carmela Lapeña
The walk was originally planned for 2009, but was postponed in light of last year’s harsh weather conditions. Fit for the long journey “The original plan of two years ago was an island-hopping/walk that would start from Batanes," said Leonor, adding that he had to downscale it for this specific cause.
LEONOR'S ON-THE-ROAD LOAD
One of Leonor’s friends who is a Physical Science major will monitor his health along the way. PhilHealth has also extended assistance by directing PhilHealth-accredited hospitals along Leonor’s route to give him free treatment if necessary. Last year, Leonor was the lead artist for the Philippine Children's Medical Center wall mural. Step Juan has also coordinated with local government units, and there are a few who have already offered a place for Leonor to stay along the way for food and rest. Apart from a Frisbee, Leonor is not bringing any unnecessary baggage. “It’s more of being lightweight, convenient, and ready for whatever will come my way," he said. These will be packed inside Karl, his custom-made two-wheel cart. Karl is named after Karl Bushby of the Goliath Expedition. Bushby’s mission is to walk from Chile to England. He began his quest in 1998 and expects to finish it by 2014. Karl, a lightweight aluminum cart with a maximum load of 50 kilograms, was made from scratch by Leonor and his friend Rodney Liwanag. Leonor gladly gave reporters a glimpse of Karl’s contents, displaying its convenient all-around zipper. “Para s’yang picnic basket, para easy-access. I can open it from the back or from the front," said Leonor. Karl is specially designed in such a way that no weight will be carried by Leonor, unless he goes uphill. This will not be a problem, said Leonor, adding that he had checked the route and it is mostly flat land. “Hindi naman ako aakyat ng Baguio," he laughed. Karl contains the following: • waterproof tent • waterproof jacket (purchased at 200 pesos from ukay-ukay but costs thousands in outdoor shops, Leonor happily discloses) • waterproof cap • clothes • sombrero (for sunny days, courtesy of Lagalag) • hammock • emergency stove • canned goods • “jinakolight" (a flashlight that is operated by vigorous shaking) • hand-held electric fan • camera • cellphone (for real-time blogging) • solar battery charger (Leonor is also a member of Greenpeace) • petroleum jelly • Swiss knife • books by Carlos Castañeda • mp3 player • pedometer (to measure progress, heart rate, and calories burned) • Frisbee (for kids who want to play along the way) • GPS unit (his location can be pinpointed on the website real-time during the trip)
James Auste, founder of the Cancer Warriors Foundation, has faith that Leonor will make it. Despite jesting with reporters that they attend the next press conference “to see if he has made it back alive," Auste added with all seriousness, “Sigurado naman, malakas naman ’yan, trained naman. Hindi naman biglaan ito. Gustong gusto na n’ya maglakad." Auste—a cancer survivor,who has biked from Manila to Davao, Manila to Cebu, and the Northern Luzon Circuit in CWF’s Bike for Life in the past—will accompany Leonor on certain legs of the odyssey. Contrary to the artist stereotype (non-athletic and vice-dependent), Leonor is undoubtedly physically fit. Apart from playing basketball and Frisbee, he also plays a mean game of patintero. For his 47-day journey, which will cover approximately 1,294 kilometers, Leonor prepared by walking at least 10 kilometers a day. He also engaged in other activities to amp up his physical conditioning. Leonor had gone on a similar expedition before, although without a cause other than his personal enjoyment of the activity. “Ang walking para sa akin ay may pagka-spiritual. Before it was just my personal preference for walking. Now it’s a challenge to help these kids," said Leonor. The cost of cancer Indeed, Leonor’s walk will make a world of difference in the lives of cancer-stricken kids. Auste explains that in other countries, eight out of 10 cancer patients survive. Here, it is the opposite; only two out of 10 cancer patients survive because they do not have money to buy medicine. Cancer treatment costs 5,000 pesos monthly on the average. Treatment for leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer, should last for three years. “Ang presyo ng gamot sa Pilipinas ay pangalawa sa Japan na pinakamataas sa buong Asya. Habang hindi pa bumababa kailangan naming mag-raise ng funds. Yun ang ginagawa ng Step Juan," he said. “We are focused on helping kids fight cancer. [We want to help them with] their treatment. Pag tinanggap namin ang bata, we sustain them from start to finish." According to Auste, the foundation has around 90 kids under its watch. They’re located all over the country—in Davao, Batangas, and Bicol. CWF is also planning to expand to Iloilo and other locations this year. “Para mabigyan ng pag-asa ang bata na lumaban. Namamatay sila na walang kalaban laban, walang kamuwang muwang, at walang kapaga-pagasa," said Auste. The funds raised by Step Juan will sustain the treatment of these kids for at least the next year. “Everything we use for the medicines is raised through our hard work. Sana ma-maximize namin yung paglalakad to raise the funds to sustain these kids," said Auste. Aside from that CWF’s ever-reliable network of friends, families, and supporters have once more rallied together to back up Leonor’s walk. Even the children themselves will be part of it. They will accompany Leonor for a short stretch once he gets to Manila. CWF is organizing events for February 3 to 5 to coincide with Leonor’s arrival in Manila on his way to Sorsogon. “The kids will be there, the families, volunteers of the foundation, the friends of Step Juan will be there, to support and raise the consciousness of the general public about the fight of these kids who are dying needlessly, hopelessly, and painfully in different hospitals just because [they don’t have money for their treatment]," said Auste. Step Juan will make its way to Pagudpud by car today, January 8. The walk begins Monday, January 11. Leonor will cover an estimated 30 kilometers daily, which will take around six hours on flat land. Leonor’s progress can be tracked on Twitter and Facebook. - FVI/TJD/YA, GMANews.TV
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