Fun-run raises P160,000 for dialysis patients

By Ramon Dacawi 

Runners and sponsors raised P160,222 in  the city’s second edition of an annual project  to raise much-needed fund support to the city’s growing number of kidney failure patients who are undergoing  regular and expensive hemodialysis treatment in order to survive.

A total of 1,264 runners registered for the 3-, 5- and 10-kilometer runs the fired off early morning last September 26 in the humanitarian feature of the city’s 106th charter anniversary that fleshed out Baguio’s centennial theme adopted in 2009: “Fostering A Culture of Caring”.

“Given the urgent need for support to help sustain the lifetime dialysis treatment of our kidney  patients,  we have included anew the fun run in this year’s Baguio charter anniversary celebration,” noted city mayor Mauricio Domogan . “The run gives meaning to the theme we adopted when our city marked its centennial  year six years ago.”

The amount raised will be administered by the Baguio General hospital and Medical Center Dialysis Patients and Partners Association headed by Nora Mangusan to ease the financial burden of the growing number of kidney patients undergoing regular twice or thrice a week blood-cleansing sessions in order to survive.

Of the amount raised, P102,502 came from registration fees for the run, P19,200 from the sale of running T-shirts and P38,520 from donations of institutions which responded to the mayor’s appeal for community support in replenishing the fund.

The mayor likewise assured that part of the proceeds from the annual “Mayor’s Cup” golf tournament on October 10 will go to the fund of the dialysis patients’ association.

In its report, the association said that last year’s initial run netted P313,108 which was used as fund support to 27 patients who had to have their fistula changed and 50 others who suffered complications or were hospitalized for more than five days.

“We are thankful that individuals and corporations here responded with donatiosn that enabled us as a community to replenished the fund for our brothers and sisters who have to undergo life-time hemodialysis,” the mayor said.

Among the donors this year were United Vision Ministries – P2,000; Supreme Hotel – P3,000; Top Ace – P2,000; University of Baguio – P10,000; Baguio Water District – P5,000; Goshenland – P1,000; Jack’s Restaurant – P1,500; Good Taste Restaurant – P10, 000; Criminial Investigation and Detection Group – P1,020; Mr. and Mrs.  Richard Tamayo – P3,000.

Volunteers headed by city sports officer Gaudencio Gonzales managed the run, with support from the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Distress Communication s Group, Emergency Medical Service, University of the Cordilleras, Baguio City National High School, Pin es City National High School and the National Police Commission.

AiraGali and Hussein Lerona topped the three-kilometer  races for boys and girlswhikle Cherry Doironila of the University of Baguio and Arnold Galap of the Cordillera Career Development College led the field in the five-kilometer runs.  Veteran campaigner ChristabelMartes clocked 50 minutes and 20 seconds to top the women’s 10-kilometer race while Michael Tolac of the University of Baguio timed in at 42 minutes and 13 seconds for the  men’s 10-k run. – Ramon Dacawi.