A terminally ill Thai lung cancer patient is auctioning off his NFL merchandise collection and donating all proceeds of the sale to a charity lunch for orphans at Wat Sakaeo in Angthong province.
Ekawit Sethsathien, or “Eka,” was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 2010. Over the past two years, the malignant tumor has spread to other parts of his body.
“It seems like the chance that I can live until next year is gradually decreasing,” Eka wrote in a Pantip forum under the alias of Hed Question. “One of my last wishes is to feed 1,700 orphans at Wat Sakaeo with their favorite dish Chicken Rice.”
Since receiving news of his cancer, the engineer-turned-motivational-speaker has viewed the world with a different perspective than that of his fellows, who are also in their early thirties.
“I have huge sympathy for these kids,” Eka wrote. “Normally, they will survive only on fried beansprout or cow-pea. Each month, I send THB3,900 to the temple to boil 1,700 eggs for each of them. Still, I could not afford 1,700 plates of chicken rice”
In order to fundraise THB25,000 to cover the expense of the food, Eka will auction off his NFL merchandise on Jan. 27. The auction calls on his affection for American football, which he developed during his five-year residency in Long Beach, California, where he pursued his Master’s degree.
The diehard San Diego Chargers fan has collected over 30 items of NFL merchandise and clothing during the past 10 years. However, he sold most of his collection in a previous auction in order to cover his significant medical bills.
“For this online auction, I used my personal savings of THB10,000 to buy NFL hats, shirts and action figures,” Eka informed his Pantip fans, who had given him massive support last time.
The event will be held through his Facebook fan page, titled “Eka With Friends,” where he has provided information about auctioning methods and starting prices.
