Rafael Walks Against Cancer!
Donation protected
On November 19-21, 2018, Rafael Martin, a Special Education Teacher and Cancer Survivor, will go on a 100 mile walk from a Subway in Tampa to a Subway near the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando. He is walking in order to raise donations for the children who are fighting cancer at the children’s hospital. He wants to raise enough donations to buy the children Christmas presents so they can enjoy the holiday. Rafael was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in 2014. Since then he has had 3 surgeries, radiation and hormone treatments to fight his cancer. He has dedicated his life to help other survivors fight cancer.
“When I heard about these kids fighting cancer at the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital, I knew I had to help them,” Rafael said. “At the very least these kids deserve to have a great Christmas with presents, family and happiness. These kids are fighting as hard as they can against cancer, so they deserve something special. I also want to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of cancer in America. Every year the rates of cancer keep getting higher, and we need to work together to find a cure. I want to live in future where no children will ever have to fight cancer.”
On November 19, at 6 am, he will begin the walk at the Subway at 2502 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa 33607. He will then walk about 37 miles to the Subway at 2810 Florida Ave S, Lakeland 33803. On day 2, November 20 at 6 am, he will walk about 36 miles from the Lakeland Subway to the Subway at 829 Cypress Pkwy, Kissimmee 34759. Finally, on day 3, November 21 at 6 am, he will walk over 28 miles from the Kissimmee Subway to the Subway at 1742 S. Orlando Avenue. The total distance will be 100 miles.
Rafael will be walking for the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. It is a 158-bed pediatric hospital in Orlando, Florida at 92 W. Miller St. Orlando 32806. Arnold Palmer Hospital is part of Orlando Health and is supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation. Together, the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies form the Arnold Palmer Medical Center. Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is also home to the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families. The donations will go to the children who are fighting cancer at the hospital.
According to the American Cancer Society, there were 1,688,780 new cases of cancer in America in and 600,920 Americans died from cancer in 2017. Across the world an estimated 7.6 million people die from cancer every year, out of which, 4 million people die prematurely. Rafael Martin believes that this number is far too high.
“There’s no reason that so many people are dying from cancer in America and across the world. I want to know what is causing this abnormally high number. My mother, Ligia Martin, died from stomach cancer on January 18, 2005. I almost died after contracting a MRSA infection from my first cancer surgery on April 24, 2014. I had to return for an emergency surgery 3 weeks later. I am sick and tired of seeing my family, friends and children die from this disease. The root cause of these cancers needs to be found so we can create a cure. I will do whatever it takes to help make that happen."
Rafael has made previous walks and runs to raise donations and awareness of the cancer epidemic. This is a link to an interview Rafael did on the WFLA TV show Daytime about his walks to raise awareness about the cancer epidemic in America: http://www.wfla.com/daytime/walking-to-raise-cancer-awareness/1219730955
Rafael can be contacted at [email redacted].
“When I heard about these kids fighting cancer at the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital, I knew I had to help them,” Rafael said. “At the very least these kids deserve to have a great Christmas with presents, family and happiness. These kids are fighting as hard as they can against cancer, so they deserve something special. I also want to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of cancer in America. Every year the rates of cancer keep getting higher, and we need to work together to find a cure. I want to live in future where no children will ever have to fight cancer.”
On November 19, at 6 am, he will begin the walk at the Subway at 2502 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa 33607. He will then walk about 37 miles to the Subway at 2810 Florida Ave S, Lakeland 33803. On day 2, November 20 at 6 am, he will walk about 36 miles from the Lakeland Subway to the Subway at 829 Cypress Pkwy, Kissimmee 34759. Finally, on day 3, November 21 at 6 am, he will walk over 28 miles from the Kissimmee Subway to the Subway at 1742 S. Orlando Avenue. The total distance will be 100 miles.
Rafael will be walking for the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. It is a 158-bed pediatric hospital in Orlando, Florida at 92 W. Miller St. Orlando 32806. Arnold Palmer Hospital is part of Orlando Health and is supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation. Together, the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies form the Arnold Palmer Medical Center. Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is also home to the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families. The donations will go to the children who are fighting cancer at the hospital.
According to the American Cancer Society, there were 1,688,780 new cases of cancer in America in and 600,920 Americans died from cancer in 2017. Across the world an estimated 7.6 million people die from cancer every year, out of which, 4 million people die prematurely. Rafael Martin believes that this number is far too high.
“There’s no reason that so many people are dying from cancer in America and across the world. I want to know what is causing this abnormally high number. My mother, Ligia Martin, died from stomach cancer on January 18, 2005. I almost died after contracting a MRSA infection from my first cancer surgery on April 24, 2014. I had to return for an emergency surgery 3 weeks later. I am sick and tired of seeing my family, friends and children die from this disease. The root cause of these cancers needs to be found so we can create a cure. I will do whatever it takes to help make that happen."
Rafael has made previous walks and runs to raise donations and awareness of the cancer epidemic. This is a link to an interview Rafael did on the WFLA TV show Daytime about his walks to raise awareness about the cancer epidemic in America: http://www.wfla.com/daytime/walking-to-raise-cancer-awareness/1219730955
Rafael can be contacted at [email redacted].
Organizer
Rafael Martin
Organizer
Winter Haven, FL