He arrived with 14 other children and their parents at the Mactan Cebu International Airport, raring to experience something few children his age are privileged to enjoy.
Stephen was among those who came for Dream Starters, an outreach program of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), which manages the passenger terminal operations at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.
Last April 24, Stephen and his friends toured the airport terminal as part of GMCAC’s observance of Children with Cancer Awareness Month.
The children, aged between 3 and 19 years, were invited by GMCAC partner Kythe Foundation.
They were able to witness airport operations.
They went to the GMCAC corporate offices and saw the executives and personnel discharging their assigned duties.
They also went to the Airport Operations Control Center where air traffic is monitored.
The highlight of the visit was a tour of the airport apron, where airplanes are parked, loaded, unloaded and refueled.
The apron tour included a look-see of a King Airbus of the Cebu Pacific Air fleet with Cebu Pacific Station Manager Johnny Yap accompanying the children.
In a post-tour program at the pre-departure area’s Lounge 6 they were treated to refreshments provided by Ralfe Gourmet.
Stephen, who is 3 years old, dreams of becoming a policeman. During the airport tour, at the viewing deck, he followed, with his eyes, an aircraft as it approached the runway until it had safely touched down. But, Stephen’s right eye is blind. He was stricken with retinoblastoma, a rare, rapidly-developing cancer that caused his blindness.
There were many more similar stories from the children who visited the airport. Their stories and those of their parents, each of whom had to take on the delicate responsibility of caring for a sick child, touched the many GMCAC employees who took time off to be with them at the closing program.
Ruby Tan, GMCAC Executive Assistant to the Chief Operations Advisor, expressed her admiration for the mothers.
“I salute the parents for all their sacrifices and I’m very proud to be part of an organization that cares for children with cancer,” she said.