19-year-old walks 120 km in memory of brother lost to leukemia to fund cancer research

A 19-year-old Finnish man will walk for two hours along the Kotka coastline on Saturday to raise funds for the Cancer Society of Finland, continuing an annual tradition he started after his older brother died of leukemia, Yle reports.

Mauno Luoma has organised the charity walk for the fifth time, having raised over €10,000 in previous years from businesses and private donors. His brother first fell ill in 2021, and his death two years later at age 16 left Luoma searching for ways to help others facing similar struggles.

“I was in shock,” Luoma told Yle. “But it gives me strength to know I can at least help others.”

The event, now held in Kotka for the first time, has grown from a small gathering of friends in his hometown of Pyhtää to over 100 participants last year. This year, 30 local businesses have already pledged support despite economic challenges.

Sari Meller, the Cancer Society’s director of fundraising, emphasised the importance of grassroots efforts like Luoma’s. “Ordinary people are the backbone of our work,” she said. “Without volunteers like Mauno, Finland would be a much colder place.”

While the sums raised—typically a few thousand euros per event—may seem modest compared to the society’s €8 million annual research budget, Meller noted that visibility matters just as much. “These events show that helping is simple and meaningful,” she said.

Luoma, now a volunteer with the Kymenlaakso Cancer Association, also participates in collection drives and the Pink Ribbon campaign. His family received support from the society during his brother’s illness and after his death, including regular counselling sessions.

Reflecting on the walk’s origins, Luoma recalled securing donations of juice for participants from his workplace after his local shop declined. “Everything starts small,” he said. “But if you keep going, it grows.”