Painful feat but well worth it

Anton Kuraia's blistered left foot.

Anton Kuraia's shoes were made for walking and, as it turns out, also for creating blisters.

The Whangarei policeman is 13 days into his 809km walk to Wellington after starting from Whangarei police station.

Yesterday on day 12 he completed 33km from Huntly to Hamilton even though giant blisters have appeared on the heels of both his feet. While Mr Kuraia said he was feeling great it was the blisters that were causing him some pain.

"I've lanced two of them to take the pressure off but they keep growing into a bubble."

He has slapped some plasters, determinedly pulled on his shoes and kept walking. The blisters formed after he ran down the Brynderwyn Hills on day two of his journey. Mr Kuraia said he has three pairs of shoes but reckoned he would have to replace them in Taupo.

Yesterday he was given a mass haka from students at Huntly High School before setting off to Hamilton central police station.

He said the support had been amazing. An elderly farmer walked 100 metres with him south of Pukekohe and told Mr Kuraia he has just undergone two rounds of chemotherapy.

"He was so determined to walk with me, he was a typical old farmer. He gave me a bag of organic bananas and some cash for the foundation. He gave me such a lift I ran the next couple of kilometres. Every time someone toots or waves as they drive by it gives me a lift."

Mr Kuraia is making the 809km journey to Wellington to raise awareness and money for fighting cancer naturally.

He was diagnosed in April 2013 with acute myeloid leukemia - a type of blood cancer usually fatal within a few months. Mr Kuraia changed his diet took intravenous Vitamin C and 10 weeks later, a bone marrow biopsy showed a complete remission of the cancer.

If you would like to donate to The 809 Foundation click here.