Tuesday, September 11, 2001

The Star, 
Berhad, Malaysia

Globe-walking for cancer
By GOH EE KOON

POLLY LETOFSKY is a diminutive, exuberant woman faced with a task of
gargantuan proportions. The 39-year-old American is on a five-year mission to
travel around the world for the breast cancer cause - on foot.

In mid-1999, Letofsky sold all her belongings; her furniture, clothes, car,
home, compact disks, electrical appliances went up for sale to help fund her
half-decade journey. On Aug 1, she set off from her Vail, Colorado home,
pacing her way towards the Pacific coast of the United States.

From there, her journey took her to New Zealand, where she walked the
country's entire length. The feat was later duplicated in Australia.

After that, she made her way to Singapore and northwards to Malaysia, before
heading north again for Thailand and India.

Letofsky arrived in Kuala Lumpur recently for a few days, where she was the
guest of one of her sponsors, The Lions Club. On this local stop, a series of
educational and community-based activities dealing with the disease has been
set up.

Her mission to walk the world is the culmination of a dream that began 27
years ago. "I come from Minnesota, which is a kind of place which you never
leave," she laughed, during a press conference. "When I was a kid, I read an
article about a man who had walked around the world, and that idea was
planted in my head."

Traveling aside, Letofsky also admitted that she has always held an interest
for women's issues, health and community service.

The idea about walking for breast cancer did not really kick in until she was
34 years old. "Suddenly, a lot of people in my immediate world had breast
cancer. I got paranoid and saw a doctor. I told him that the disease had
appeared in my father's side of the family, and he said that I was not at
risk."

Relieved, she told the supposed good news to a friend who quickly set her
straight. "What nonsense! If you are a woman, you are at risk! Even men can
be at risk," she recalled. It became evident what she could be walking for,
for breast cancer was not a problem that was faced only by the people she
knew. The scope is much larger; it rears its head in every corner of the
world.

From the start of her walk itself, it seemed as if after it became known that
she was doing it for a cause, people who had been affected by the disease in
some way or other began coming out of the woodwork, whether she was passing
through a tiny town in the Rockies or making her way through an Australian
city. Letofsky's journey is a constant fundraising effort and a stream of
activities that educate the public about the disease. Funds that are raised
in each country stay within it, and benefits a local organisation dedicated
to raising awareness.

Kuala Lumpur marks her 26th month on her feet. So far, she has covered
8,201km. This translates into 15 pairs of walking footwear.
Her "suitcase" is a custom-made trolley that weighs about 30kg, which packs
in maps, a journal, brochures, first aid kits, water (she drinks five litres
a day), mobile phones, clothes and other things.

Getting sponsors for her walk was not easy. Letofsky began knocking on doors;
people tended to listen to her at first and then not pay attention. This led
to her constant telephone calls to them, until she garnered enough to start
off.

When people heard that she was actually doing the walk, more offers poured
in. Lions Club takes care of events, press coverage and lodging. Belgium's
Agfa donated film. In Thailand, she is assured of crew support. Everything
from shoes to the travel trolley, and even energy health bars and a courier
service have been placed at her disposal.
Here, too, she has encountered for the first time, a glaring cultural
difference.

Apparently, Malaysian women are less than keen to come upfront about the
disease, let alone admit they have it. "It's the men that are coming here to
talk about awareness."

Perhaps what is refreshing about Letofsky is that she does not claim to be an
entity bigger than what she actually is: just a human being trying to do her
part for the world.

The bottom line, for her, is to tell people how important it is for early
detection. The symptoms should not be ignored, as with methods to help
prevent the disease or catch it in an early stage.

Letofsky's walk, when completed in three years' time, would have covered four
continents and over 26,000km. So far, providence has smiled on her and she
has suffered no injuries that would have delayed her goal. Major flooding, a
7.2 Richter scale earthquake, forest fires and lightning storms have passed
her way already.

After completing her journey, it is without a doubt that she plans to stay
fighting for the cause. But at the same time, she also plans to write a book
about her unique journey. "I also don't want to lose contact with the chain
of people that has been created, I want to do something with that but I'm not
sure what, yet."

Polly Letofsky's journey can be followed through the Internet at
www.globalwalk. org

Star Publications (Malaysia) Berhad.

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