A community leader in Queens who has long fought to help residents of Jackson Heights — and especially the local Colombian-American community — has a different fight on his hands these days: cancer.

He sat down with Borough Reporter Ruschell Boone to deliver a message to the Colombian and Jackson Heights community.

Orlando Tobon is down, but not out. Weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from his lower back, the man known as Don Orlando is optimistic that he will be able to resume the charitable work that has made him a highly-regarded figure in his community.

"Not like before, but I'll try to do everything I can," Tobon said.

But doctors have told the 69-year-old to give it a rest, something he's finding hard to do while he recuperates at a care facility in Forest Hills.

His cell phone is constantly buzzing with well-wishers and people in need.

We first met the Jackson Heights resident more than a decade ago, when he was fundraising for different causes. He later gained prominence for his most controversial cause: raising money to bury the unclaimed bodies of drug mules who died on their trips to the U.S.

Don Orlando explains that many of the drug runners are forced to smuggle the narcotics while others do it out of desperation for cash. His work was even featured in a movie.

But while he was busy helping others, he didn't take care of his health, Tobon saw a doctor six weeks ago, after he felt pain in his lower back. He hadn't seen a doctor in 20 years.

"When the doctor told me, 'You have a problem, you have a tumor and it's cancer,' it killed me. It killed me. I cried," Tobon said.

Those tears were not only for him:

Boone: Did you also cry because you know this was going to stop your work?

Tobon: Yes, because the doctor told me that's finished.

But Don Orlando has no intentions to stop. In fact, he wanted to send this message to the Colombian-American community:

"Wait for me: I'm going to be strong to continue to do my work," Tobon said.

That is if his health allows. His secretary is trying to help in the meantime.