Walk, walk, fashion, baby — For the benefit of children with cancer
Big dreams, artwork bids to honor lost loved ones, and hope for a brighter future shine on at the first I Want To Share Charity Gala.
Darkness covered the I Want To Share Foundation’s first charity gala at one point — and then there was light, glowing from LED candles lifted by over 500 of the country’s movers and shakers.
“My own journey as a cancer survivor has been a significant catalyst in my devotion to this cause,” said Sheila Romero, founder and chairman of IWTS, addressing the audience. “God’s healing grace gave me another lease on life, and I honor that every day by helping children at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to have hope for a brighter future.”
“Let us light their path to a longer and more fulfilling life,” she urged. “This is our pledge and tonight we stand united.”
And light the path, they did, as the target of raising P12 million was exceeded with a total of P19 million raised. It will fund the establishment of the Childhood Cancer Helpline, two specialized rooms in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, and funding support for the Pediatrics Hematology Oncology.
The evening’s enabling host and STAR columnist Tim Yap (in Chynna Mamawal) auctioned off a Maserati and artworks by National Artist Ramon Orlina, master sculptor Daniel Dela Cruz, and contemporary artists Andres Barrioquinto and Dino Gabito. Bidders like PR and nightlife entrepreneur Franco Saycon (in Jorel Espina) paid tribute to loved ones lost to cancer; his late mother’s spirit lives on in Andres Barrioquinto’s Woman of the Morning After.
When was the last time a fashion show made you teary-eyed or cheer out loud like a stan in a K-pop concert? Not in poker-faced fashion weeks and certainly not during prim-and-proper galas. But when 25 of the PGH’s 150 chemotherapy Dec. 2022 graduates catwalked down the runway, the audience just couldn’t help it. Each child’s personality shone in creations especially designed for them by Rajo Laurel, Avel Bacudio, Martin Bautista, Mark Bumgarner and Andrea Tetangco.
Romero, in a golden Rajo Laurel, was front and center, holding back happy tears as her daughters Milka (in an ivory-embellished Andrea Tetangco) and Mandy (in a Martin Bautista mermaid extravaganza) led the cheers and applause, rallying the kids every step of the way.
Romero notes that even as the foundation celebrates its 10th year, this is only the beginning. “IWTS will continue in its mission to make a difference and contribute to society as we lead a purpose-driven life. The gala is a testament to what we can achieve when we unite to pursue a shared objective,” she shares. “Together, we can inspire others, reshape lives, and illuminate the path for those who need it most.”
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