ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — The Visayas walkathon of an artist and environmentalist for children with cancer is on its last leg.

In Step Juan Bai: the Visayas Region Expedition, 29-year-old Tomas Leonor pushed on the last leg of the 1,170-kilometer walk to further raise awareness about the plight of poor children diagnosed with cancer.

“We need to create awareness to cure these children,” Leonor said as he explained that majority of the family of children with cancer cannot afford the cost of medicines or chemotherapy sessions.

The artist-environmentalist also emphasized that one of the reasons the number of cancer cases have risen is that there is no early detection.

“By the time they are diagnosed, it’s too late,” he said.

Leonor began his walk from Allen, Samar and will end his journey in the island resort of Boracay. He has already walked through Visayan islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros, and Panay.

Funds raised through his initiative will be donated to cancer-stricken children at the Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC).

Last year, he raised approximately P1.5 million for Cancer Warriors Foundation when he walked through Luzon, from Ilocos Norte to Sorsogon.

Leonor, whose left leg is longer than his right, had been a sickly boy who suffered from asthma.

“Even though I was a sickly child, I always wanted to explore the country and now I am doing it while helping sick children,” Leonor said.

In his walk through Iloilo, Leonor was accompanied by Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., Philippine National Police (PNP) regional director C/Supt. Cipriano Querol, and Philippine Army spokesman Maj. John Andrada.

Leonor is scheduled to arrive in the popular island destination of Boracay on May 28 where he will end his inter-island walkathon.