Run For A Cause

Our company organized a fun run for the benefit of patients in Southern Philippines Medical Center's (former Davao Regional Hospital) "House of Hope" - a facility built to accommodate children with cancer having their chemotherapy sessions, along with a family member to serve as support during the course of treatment.   The treatment sessions (i.e. medicines, facilities, services, etc.) aren't free,  so they needed support from kindhearted individuals, and what's a best way to raise immediate fund than the ever reliable fun run.

It was made compulsory for our company's employees to join with one invite.  It's a good thing and it wasn't a loss to anyone since it's going to be for a good cause.  Later, it was disseminated that the company will be shouldering the registrations of all it's employees, thus we only paid for our invites.  That's how our company love their employees, which we repay with our all out support.

I brought my daughter with me during the run.  It was her first.  So I picked up the shortest distance for us, 3 kilometers.  We had not practiced enough for the event, due to somewhat busy schedule and weather issues.  But we had some jogs and stretching exercises days before the scheduled run, and that's it.  Good thing we're not eying for a place and settled for just finishing the race.  Just kidding, it was our intention from the very beginning to just jog and walk during the event.

When the 3 km run started, we had a good start.  We were catching up with other participants one after another.  Then at the middle of the event, she was already complaining of aching legs and her thighs were beginning to be itchy.  At that moment, I knew I had to carry her before she gets muscle cramps.  So, I ended up carrying a kid on my back.  It was my decision anyway and what mattered most was I had a great bonding moment with my daughter.

Upon reaching the finish line, after catching up with our breath, got a chance to meet some of the benefactors.  It broke my heart thinking why these kids, so young and faultless, suffer these dreadful disease that's eating up their youth... their lives.  By just looking at them, I knew, we did something good that day.  It might not be enough to cover all their expenses for the whole treatment, but at least it could help.

I hope we'll have more events like this which can help those who needed most.  In as much as I pray to our Lord to spare the lives of the children by laying His healing hands upon them.  Yahweh bless.