Young woman roller-blades across Canada to fight leukemia (10/20/96)

Young woman roller-blades across Canada to fight leukemia

by Maria Koropecky

TORONTO - Christine Ichim, 18, is roller blading across Canada to raise money for leukemia research.

Her mother, Florica Ichim, was diagnosed with leukemia when Miss Ichim was 10 years old and her brother Tom was 12. They have four other brothers and sisters.

Christine and Tom have spent the last eight years researching everything they could about the disease. In the process they founded the Batu Center for Leukemia Research headed by Dr. Lisa M.J. Smith. The Batu Center has developed a new treatment for leukemia, and Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital is willing to use it, but $300,000 needs to be raised before the hospital can begin testing on humans.

"This treatment offers hope, but we haven't raised $50,000 yet," said Mr. Ichim, president of the Batu Center, at a press conference held at Nathan Philips Square in front of Toronto's new City Hall on August 22.

In her speech, Mrs. Ichim said she does not want to return to the hospital again because "You can expect needles, blood tests once a week, painful bone marrow suction and bad news." She is fighting not only for herself but for people all over the world, including the children of Chornobyl. "We have to help them," she said.

Miss Ichim's Canadian Cure Campaign started on May 3 in Victoria. By the time she reached Toronto, she had already skated 5,000 kilometers out of approximately 8,000, and gone through six changes of wheels on her specially designed long distance in-line skates supplied free by the Rollerblade company.

Only a year after trying the sport for the first time, Miss Ichim picked in-line skating because she said "I wanted to do the toughest thing I could think of."

Following a Canadian Automobile Association road plan, Miss Ichim has been skating 100-150 kilometers or 10-12 hours a day, but she's not on the road by herself. Her brother Tom and friends Zack Morrison and Orest Szczurko have joined her on her journey.

"I was really worried about letting her go by herself across Canada, but she has a wonderful team with her," said Mrs. Ichim.

While Miss Ichim skates, Messrs. Szczurko and Morrison take turns driving the van that follows her. Mr. Szczurko is also responsible for issuing press releases, organizing public appearances and finding sleeping accommodations. "If we need to go to a hotel, I organize the room and try to get one for free. We camped a lot on the side of the road. I'm in Plast - so that taught me a lot," said Mr. Szczurko.

Mr. Szczurko is a biology student at the University of Waterloo. He found out about the campaign when he started talking to Mr. Ichim in physiology class. "My 7-year-old cousin just died of leukemia, and it really hit me. I had to help out. I didn't have money but I could give my time," said Mr. Szczurko.

According to Mr. Szczurko, the treatment is not expensive to apply. "The drug is easy to make because it is not a high compound, and if you modify it slightly, it could work on other forms of cancer," he said. So far, "the treatment works on mice and in petri dishes," he added.

Roller blading across Canada is very dangerous. Not only has the team encountered bears in the Rocky Mountains, but trucks passing them at 90 kilometers an hour while they're plugging away at 10-15 kilometers an hour have caused a few near misses, specially on the narrow Rocky Mountain roads. "I had a couple of good adventures," said Mr. Szczurko.

The team also passed the Terry Fox Monument in Thunder Bay. "It was very emotional. He lit the fire; now it's up to us to sustain it," said Miss Ichim.

Terry Fox was a young Canadian whose leg was amputated in a temporarily successful attempt to stem the spread of cancer through his body. In the spring of 1980, Mr. Fox donned a full-length prosthetic limb and embarked on what came to be known as the "Marathon of Hope" - an attempt to cross Canada on foot in a fund-raising drive for cancer research.

Mr. Fox succumbed to the ravages of the disease before he could complete his run "from sea to sea," but succeeded in generating considerable public attention. A "Terry Fox Run" is held annually in various communities across the country.

Miss Ichim began organizing the campaign in August of last year. "I spent every waking second doing this. I began by looking for corporate sponsors," she said. Because every dollar donated by the public goes directly to the cause, the Economical Insurance Group and the Army Navy Airforce Veterans each gave money strictly for expenses.

The final destination will be St. John's Newfoundland in mid-October. Originally the team was scheduled to arrive in mid-September, but it had fallen behind schedule. After she reaches the Atlantic Ocean, Ms. Ichim said she hopes to continue her fund-raising efforts.

After making an early morning appearance on City TV's "Breakfast Television," Miss Ichim is tired and seems a little discouraged. The city of Toronto did not received her enthusiastically. At Nathan Philips Square, Toronto Counselor Pam McConnel urged an audience of 50 to 70 people to donate, but did not offer any money on behalf of the city. Instead, the city gave Miss Ichim a baseball cap for the sun (she wears a helmet), pens for others peoples' checkbooks and a pin. Someone from the crowd gave a $500 check but he was just plugging his new cyber-café.

"We have to keep going. It doesn't matter how tough it gets. Just a couple more steps," said Miss Ichim.

Donations may be sent to: Canadian Cure Campaign, University Hospital Foundation, 339 Windermere Road, London, Ontario, N6A 5A5; or made at any Canada Trust branch across Canada.