LAKELAND, Fla. -- A local survivor spent his Memorial Day on a march across Florida.
- Cancer survivor walked from Lakeland to Orlando
- Goal was to raise money for cancer research
Rafael Martin walked 50 miles from Lakeland Regional Cancer Center to Universal City Walk in Orlando.
Though he walked alone, Martin doesn’t feel like he’s by himself.
“It’s for all the survivors out there who’ve passed (away). I’m walking for them -- not me,” Martin said.
His 50 mile journey took him about 14 hours, with just a few breaks.
He marched to raise money for Lakeland Regional, but he’s also looking for answers.
“It’s become as common as the cold. You know someone with cancer -- everyone does. That’s the message of this. Why is this and what can we do about it?” Martin said.
Martin, a high school teacher in Winter Haven, is a survivor, diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014.
But later he found out the cancer spread to his lymph nodes. The treatment he is going through makes him tired, but that’s not stopping him.
“This is very tiring, but I felt I had to do this to raise the awareness out there about cancer,” Martin said.
Portions of walk took him on some rural roads. There are no sidewalks. No easy place to walk. But for Martin, it’s worth the journey.
He has walked before, going 250 miles up to Tallahassee -- all to raise money for cancer research, which he says is badly needed.
Martin wants to keep walking and keep fighting for other patients.
“Cancer has taken a lot for me. I want to say ‘no, I want to do this,’” he said.
Martin does have a GoFundMe where is raising money for the Lakeland Regional Cancer Center.
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