Cancer survivors and supporters recently walked the runway in pink for the Filipino-American Cancer Care (FACC) Fashion show in Falls Church, Virginia.
The “Runway for a Cure” is for the benefit of cancer patients in the U.S. and in the Philippines in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
It featured four Filipino designers from Los Angeles and the Philippines, namely: Carl Andrada, Edwin Uy, Kiel Ortega and Jay Layson.
Andrada, an LA-based designer whose mother died of cancer in 2013, said he understands the struggle of families of cancer patients, hence his strong support to the FACC.
This is now his third fashion show with the organization.
“The design was inspired from the three major islands of the Philippines,” he said. “Each group, I used fabrics from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. As an advocate of Philippine fabric and fashion, I incorporated it in my designs for this year.”
Meanwhile, Uy, a Philippines-based designer shared that he has relatives who also died of cancer.
During the fashion show, he showcased his winning national costumes worn by Filipina beauty queens who competed in national and in international beauty pageants.
Fashion show director Buboi Asuncion of MGI production, also volunteered his and his team’s talent and time for the success of FACC’s event.
“It’s an honor and privilege for me to be part of this wonderful and successful event,” he said. “FACC is one of the closest organizations to my heart because it helps a lot of people especially Filipinos.”
One of the beneficiaries of the FACC is Lenny Rose Veronilla from Cagayan de Oro City. During the fashion show, she shared her cancer journey and how, in 2021, she and a fellow cancer survivor co-founded a cancer support group for young Filipinos.
“I am here because of the generosity of people like you,” Veronilla told attendees. Truly it takes a whole community to heal cancer.”
The FACC is a non-profit organization that does not only give financial assistance to its beneficiaries but also provides free cancer screening.
It also raises awareness, and educates the public about cancer through its weekly radio show. With the FACC’s efforts, more and more help has been extended by sponsors and supporters to cancer patients from all over the US.
The FACC’s founder and president Josie Moralidad Ziman, is also a cancer survivor. She said she is grateful for the help of other Fil-Am organizations that traveled far just to support the fundraising.
Proceeds of the event will benefit 15 cancer patients from the Philippines and from the U.S., who will each get $1,000.
