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15,000 turn up for Terry Fox Run

Some 15,000 people turned up at the Abu Dhabi Corniche on Friday morning and walked for the ‘16th anniversary of Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Run’.

The event is conducted every year in a bid to raise cancer awareness and generate funds for its research in the UAE.

Tiny tots along with their parents and people from different nationalities came in large numbers to run, jog, rollerblade or walk in this charity event to remember the contribution of Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete, humanitarian and cancer treatment activist.

The run was organised under the patronage of Shaikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Advisor to the President, His Highness Shiakh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Shaikh Sultan presented the third in a series of cheques worth Dh300,000 to the UAE University for world-class UAE-specific cancer research. Shaikh Sultan handed over the cheque to Professor Mohammed Yousif Baniaas, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Vice provost Medical Sciences at UAE University. The event was inaugurated at 10am on Street 30 on the Abu Dhabi corniche by Shaikh Sultan and Ken Lewis, Canadian Ambassador to the UAE.

The Run also highlighted other causes including integration of disabled people and environmental awareness.

The programme for the Run started at 7am and participants were greeted with motivating music from the Terry Fox Run DJ, followed by a 15-minute aerobic warm-up session. Apart from the main event, there were several other entertaining activities including music by the 40-member Abu Dhabi Police band and the Bohra Community Drumming Band, each of which provided entertainment at the halfway point on the 8.5km route.

The total amount collected during yesterday’s run was Dhw. However, funds will be pouring in until the end of April this year.

In 2010, over 12,000 people participated in the Run and a total of Dh650,000 was raised. Globally to date, over Canadian $400million has been raised worldwide over the past 30 years to fund innovative cancer research.

The money raised will be donated locally to the Faculty of Medicine in the UAE University to fund innovative cancer research projects headed by UAE medical professionals.

The grant money is a result of the Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Run’s fundraising and is the third and final installment to be presented to researchers.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Nahyan, son of Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs along with his sister Shaikha Fatima bint Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and brother Shaikh Zayed bin Abdullah, took part in the run and donated to the Terry Fox Foundation.

For Yoshiko Kosuge from Japan, it was a great event. “It was my fourth run for the event here,” said Kosuge who had turned up at the venue along with her three children. Joe Arshat and Bilal Saigh from Canada felt it is good to run for a noble cause and that it would help spread awareness on the fatal disease.

Ahmed Tariq from Egypt enjoyed taking part in the event along with a number of friends. He said it’s a good exercise and encourages people to keep themselves healthy and fit.

anwar@khaleejtimes.com