Tour of Hope 2011: Saving 500 Women Against Cervical Cancer

To be a part of The Tour of Hope 2011 – 500: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer, please email Joyette Jopson at joyette.jopson@gmail.com or contact her at 0917-8827352.





How far would you go to save 500 women?
“Tour of Hope 2011- 00: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer,” cyclists will take 500 kilometers in 5 days. The bikers  will undertake the challenging 5-day journey from Manila to Laoag in order to help raise funds for cervical cancer prevention vaccination drives and seminars.

Tour of Hope 2011, in partnership with Bravehearts, Team David’s Salon and GlaxoSmithKline, is going to vaccinate a total of 500 women during the tour.

In a country where cervical cancer claims the lives of 12 women everyday, the need to fight this disease has only become more urgent over the years.


However, if you think that The Tour of Hope is all about the bikers, think again. Over the past two years, the event organizers have formed partnerships with local government units such as those of Tarlac, Dagupan, Pampanga, La Union, and Baguio in order to conduct lectures during each stopover of the tour to local communities with marginalized groups who display poor health-seeking behavior.


What’s in Store for The Tour of Hope 2011

 

Aside from the challenging journey, The Tour of Hope has always been known for bringing its participants to scenic locations such as Vigan, Zambales, and Camarines Sur. This year is no exception. The Tour of Hope 2011 - 500: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer will kick off at the TriNoma Mall in Quezon City on May 28, 2011.


The first stop will be at Tarlac City, Tarlac. It is the home of President Noynoy Aquino’s ancestral house and Mount Pinatubo, where adventure-seeking 4x4 wheel drivers try their skills, and hikers visit the crater. The tour will then continue to San Fernando, La Union, where the renowned La Union Botanical Gardens is located. Afterwards, the bikers will head to Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, where historical churches and ancestral homes that reflect the beauty of old world architecture can be found. The fourth stop will be Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, where tourists often visit the Juan Luna Shrine. There, visitors can get a glimpse of the award-winning Spolarium painter’s life through vintage photographs and household artifacts. The final stop for this year’s Tour of Hope is Paoay, where bikers will get to see the unique blend of Spanish, Chinese, and architecture represented by Paoay Church, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


The last leg of the tour will feature celebrity bikers such as Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, Marvin Kiefer, Rovilson Fernandez, Troy Montero, Aubrey Miles, Will Devaughn, Richie Hardin, Richard Herrera, Janna Victoria, Gem Padilla, Anthony Pangilinan, and David Charlton. They will be lending their star power to draw attention to a good cause. In addition, Tessa Prieto-Valdes is currently working on a special project that will also help raise funds for cervical cancer prevention.


As part of the preparations for the upcoming Tour of Hope, there will also be a Mini Tour of Hope that will be held on May 7 at Filinvest, Alabang. This is a great way for biking enthusiasts to show their support for the anti-cervical cancer advocacy, and everyone is invited to join.

“On behalf of Bravehearts, I’d like to encourage everyone to join the fight against cervical cancer,” Abbygale Arenas-de Leon said. “For all the women, do it for your families and loved ones. And for all the men, I encourage you to support the cervical cancer prevention advocacy for your mothers, sisters, and daughters. With your help, thousands of lives can be saved.”

For further inquiries, please email braveheartsphilippines@gmail.com.

Women Heroes Unite for a Cervical Cancer-Free Philippines

Girls, have no fear against the top female preventable cancer – this band of women advocates is here.

Alarmed by statistics showing that cervical cancer claims the lives of twelve Pinays everyday, a group of passionate female fighters have taken up the cause to spread the message of cervical cancer among Filipinas in the country. United under the female anti-cervical cancer coalition Bravehearts, the advocates are taking their fight from the clinics to the streets.

During their recent event, “The Tour of Hope 360: Fighting Cervical Cancer in Full Circle” biking tour, the girls of Bravehearts went to key areas in Makati, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, and Baguio. In every town hall, they shared the message that cervical cancer is easily preventable by vaccination, and that early detection will save them from the disease’s death sentence. They also raised nearly one (1) million in pledges and sponsorships to further spread the anti-cervical cancer message across the Philippines.

In the upcoming photo exhibit to be held at the Lobby of Greenbelt 3 on October 1 to 6, the girls have joined hands with master lensman Jun de Leon in showcasing the fruits of their efforts – just as they prepare for a grander biking tour next year.

“The message is very clear: cervical cancer is easily preventable, and women do not have to die from it,” proclaims Abbygale Arenas, Bravehearts representative. “By empowering Filipinas with information about this disease, we look forward to winning the battle versus cervical cancer.”

For celebrity photographer Jun de Leon, he believes that the camera is his tool in spreading awareness here in the country. “This advocacy is close to my heart and I have been a staunch supporter of cervical cancer awareness here in the Philippines,” he muses. “Through ‘The Tour of Hope’ exhibit, I want to showcase The passionate fight of these biker heroes in bringing down cervical cancer deaths here in the country.”

Aside from Abbygale Arenas and Jun de Leon, the pharmacetical company GlaxoSmithKline, other women-friendly companies, local government units and other cervical cancer advocates have also pledged their support for Bravehearts.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cecilia Llave, President of Cervical Cancer Prevention Program (CECAP) shares that to stop the human papilloma virus (HPV) – the cause of cervical cancer – from infecting women, an effective and relevant cervical cancer vaccine is necessary. There is a cervical cancer vaccine which provides significant protection for women against the two most common cancer-causing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types (16 and 18), and also against 12 other cancer-causing HPV types which include HPV strain 45 – a strain which prevalently causes a more severe form of cervical cancer among Filipinas. Designed to last for both young and mature women, females from 10 years old onwards can be vaccinated with this cervical cancer vaccine.

“Early detection and vaccination is necessary to give every Filipina a fighting chance against the disease. And we at Bravehearts are united with Filipinas everywhere in the belief that together, we can save ourselves from the burden of cervical cancer,” ends Llave.