Cancer Run, presented by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD), part of the M42 network, and organised in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and Plan B Group, will take place at Al Maryah Island, from 6-10am on 4 February 2024, coinciding with World Cancer Day. With the event open to the community, participants of various ages are encouraged to join the cause and run in support of families and friends. The annual event aims to raise awareness about various types of cancer risk, and highlight the importance of healthy lifestyle choices for cancer prevention and management.
Competitors will have the option to participate in three race categories, encompassing distances of 1-3km, 5km, and 10km. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in the 5km and 10km runs. The first-place winner in the 5km run will receive AED2,000, the second-place winner will receive AED1,500, and the third-place winner will receive AED1,000. Similarly, the podium participants in the 10km run will be awarded AED3,000, AED2,000, and AED1,000, respectively.
The event will feature health awareness booths and community engagement activities, and provide an opportunity for participants to connect with healthcare professionals. It seeks to reinforce the need for regular screenings and health checks toward cancer prevention and treatment.
His Excellency Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of ADSC, stressed the importance of participating in the Cancer Run, based on the need to contribute to increasing awareness of cancer diseases, indicating that sport has a positive and significant impact on members of society on various important issues.”
His Excellency said: “We invite everyone to participate in the upcoming run, to raise awareness of cancer diseases, and to make sports a way of daily life, as a group of recent studies have proven the importance of practicing physical activities to prevent diseases.”
Dr Stephen Grobmyer, Chair of Medical Oncology & Hematology in the Oncology Institute at CCAD, said: “Amidst multiple advances in cancer treatment, prevention and early diagnosis through screening efforts remain the most effective ways to fight cancer. This is why the Cancer Run is an important initiative that will help generate public mindfulness about the risk of cancer, with the overarching goal to encourage conversations among community members.”
CCAD’s Fatima bint Mubarak Center, which has 24 clinical departments specialising in treating various forms of cancer, provides cutting-edge, personalised care to each cancer patient throughout their journey, including sophisticated screening and diagnostic testing, advanced radiation treatments, and precision cellular therapies.
Dr Harmeek Singh, Founder & Chairman of Plan b Group. Said. "At Plan B Group, it is our vision to seek platforms that are backed by substance. As an entrepreneur and a community leader, I feel responsible to the society, and so have created this platform, Cancer Run, which is a global cause, where the only cure remains early detection. We want to be the voice that shares the message and join hands as one community, spread awareness and stand together in solidarity with those who are affected by this disease. Globally, we have seen an alarming 80 per cent increase in people who are under the age of 50 and suffering with cancer, and this is a great cause for concern. We are hosting this annual run on 4 February 2024, marking World Cancer Day, and I urge the community to come forward as one family and run together in support of such a wonderful cause.”
For more information, and to register for the run, visit : here.
