"She would need non-relative blood donors in her treatment."
Joel Uichico, Bikes for the Philippines founder and president, has looked for and produced over a thousand bicycles for economically challenged students across the country.
Today, after more than a decade of helping students have their own means of transportation to school, he calls for prayers for his daughter Alexa, who is fighting leukemia.
Alexa was in Tokyo, Japan, for a holiday vacation with the Guitierrezes when she noticed she was not feeling well.
Alexa, 38, is married to Elvis Gutierrez, the non-showbiz child of Filipino celebrity couple Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama.
On their flight back home, she felt very weak. After the plane landed in Manila, she was rushed to St. Luke's Medical Center in Global City.
On January 4, doctors diagnosed Alexa with leukemia. The whole family was surprised and saddened by the news.
The family considered the idea of flying Alexa to the US for treatment there, Uichicho said. But the local doctors discouraged them, as Alexa needed immediate treatment and her condition would just get worse during the long trip.
Uichico expressed confidence that Alexa, the youngest of the three, would recover soon from her condition.
Alexa has two older brothers.
A new treatment for leukemia that involves stem cell transplantation could beat the disease, he said. Alexa has a strong faith and is a fighter. She reads Bible verses to their two children, who are both girls.
By March, Alexa would need more type O+ blood as part of her treatment, Oichico added. Although type O+ blood runs in the family and among relatives, it wouldn't be enough for Alexa's needs.
"She would need non-relative blood donors in her treatment," he said.
Ruffa Gutierrez, an actress and beauty pageant titleholder, has also asked prayers for her sister-in-law, Alexa.
“Lex, you are such a positive, courageous, beautiful and strong human being," she said. "I know you can beat this. God has a great plan for you. We love you and will walk with you through every step of this journey. Continue to be in high spirits. You’re not alone."
“"God has always a better plan" when one is going through challenges."
Alexa has also been part of his father's bike-giving advocacy. When she was studying in the US, she helped her dad locate bikes for indigent students back home, especially those in remote and mountainous areas.
"God has always a better plan" when one is going through challenges, Oichico said. "Always.," Joel Uichico
Uichico lost his wife to brain cancer in 2001, coinciding with the attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York.
"God has always a better plan" when one is going through challenges, Oichico said. "Always."
Oichico founded Bikes for the Philippines in 2011. But as early as 2010, he was already thinking about this advocacy.
Their first recipients were students in Bohol. The foundations' program there lasted for about four years. A total of 500 bicycles were donated to students in Bohol, an island province in central Visayas.
Over the past decade, the foundation has donated bikes in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in collaboration with government agencies, the private sector, and individuals.
Recently, Bikes for the Philippines has turned over bicycles to students in Cebu. The bike-giving was in collaboration with the Aboitiz Foundation.
Uichico said he would carry on with his advocacy of looking for and providing bicycles to less fortunate students so that they could go to school.
"The success of our program depends on the collaboration of the school," he said. "The program is a continuing one. But it may die if the head of the school lacks interest in sustaining it."
