Beyond the finish line: Man with stage 5 chronic kidney disease makes 30km run

When Raphael Carredo crossed the 30-kilometer finish line at the EastWest Dream Run in Cebu, there was no dramatic moment—no raised arms, no waiting cameras. Just a quiet exhale, a tired smile, and the steady beat of his own footsteps catching up with him.

He didn’t join the run to chase a medal or a record. He joined because he wanted to move. Because movement, in his life, isn’t something to take for granted.

At 43, Raphael lives with stage 5 chronic kidney disease. Dialysis—four hours per session, three times a week—is now a routine part of his schedule. It’s invasive and exhausting. But it hasn’t defined him.

“People think being on dialysis means you stop living,” he said. 

"But I still want to be present. I want to show my kids that I’m still here.”

Choosing to move

His participation in the Dream Run wasn’t a spontaneous decision. When he first saw the announcement, he immediately signed up for the 30-kilometer category—no second-guessing. Just a quiet determination to finish what he started.

With guidance from his doctor, Raphael trained when his body allowed. Some days, he felt strong. On others, he had to step back. But every run, every walk, every small effort added up.

“I just wanted to remind myself what my body can still do,” he said. 

"Not what it used to do, but what it still can.”

Since his diagnosis, Raphael and his partner have restructured their lives around a more deliberate kind of living—cleaner meals, unhurried mornings, honest conversations. Their three children, all growing fast, have been at the heart of that shift.

“I want to be around longer. For their birthdays. For everyday things.”

The dream run, reframed

Held in Cebu, the EastWest Dream Run gathered a wide spectrum of participants—experienced runners, first-timers, walkers, joggers, and people like Raphael, who showed up for reasons not easily seen on the surface.

“There was no pressure to be fast or perfect,” said Martin Reyes, EastWest’s head of Marketing and Cash Management. 

“The whole point was to offer a space for people to reconnect with themselves. That could mean beating a personal record—or simply showing up.”

The event’s atmosphere was relaxed. No intense pacing, no expectations. Just movement at your own speed.

For Raphael, that setting was exactly what he needed.

“There’s no race here,” he said. “Just people trying. That’s enough.”

Every kilometer was hard-earned. At some points in the run, fatigue crept in—the kind that lingers when you’re already carrying something heavier than distance. But Raphael stayed grounded.

“I thought about my kids,” he said. “That’s where I get the energy.”

The run became less about endurance and more about clarity. He didn’t need cheering crowds. He needed the rhythm of his breath, the pull of the road, and the reminder that being present is its own kind of strength.

At the finish line, there were no grand declarations. Just a nod to himself. 

A quiet “I did it.” 

That was enough.

Beyond the finish line 

Today, Raphael continues his dialysis, continues to show up for his family, and continues to consider new possibilities. A marathon? Maybe. One day.

“I’m not rushing it,” he said. “But it’s in the back of my mind.”

In Raphael’s world, movement isn’t about escape. It’s about returning to health, to meaning, to the people who make every effort worthwhile. — BM, GMA Integrated News