Cancer Race 2024 set on Al Maryah Island on Feb. 4
Image Credit: Supplied
Abu Dhabi: The Cancer Race 2024 – a three-in-one event open to different age groups – is set to kick off at 6am in Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island on Sunday (February 4).
The event, organised in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and Plan B Group, coincides with World Cancer Day.
Several race categories will take place from 6am to 10 am on the island.
Healthy lifestyle choices
The annual event aims to raise awareness about various types of cancer risk, and highlights the importance of healthy lifestyle choices for cancer prevention and management.
Open to the community, participants of different ages are encouraged to join the cause and run in support of families and friends.
3 run categories
Participants can engage in three run categories, covering distances of 1-3 km, 5 km, and 10 km. Cash prizes await the top three finishers in the 5 km and 10 km runs, reinforcing the event’s goal to raise awareness and promote cancer prevention.
Contestants will have the option to participate in three run categories, encompassing distances of 1-3 km, 5km, and 10km.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in the 5km and 10km runs.
Prizes
The first place winner in the 5km run will receive Dh2,000, the second place winner will receive Dh1,500, and the third place winner will receive Dh1,000.
Similarly, the top three finishers in the 10km run will be awarded Dh3,000, Dh2,000, and Dh1,000, respectively.
Health booths
Health awareness booths and community activities provide opportunities to connect with healthcare professionals and stress the importance of regular screenings.
Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, emphasizes the societal impact of sports on crucial health issues and invites everyone to join the “Cancer Run” to increase awareness.
Dr. Stephen Grobmyer, Chair of Medical Oncology & Hematology at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, underscores the significance of prevention and early diagnosis through screening efforts in the fight against cancer.
The Cancer Run serves as a vital initiative to promote public awareness, encouraging community conversations.
Plan B Group, the organiser, expresses commitment to being a voice for change, fostering awareness, and standing in solidarity with those affected by cancer.
The annual run also highlights the global rise in cancer cases, particularly among individuals under 50.
Cancer remains a critical global health concern, ranking as the second leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organisation.
In the UAE, the Ministry of Health and Prevention ranks cancer as the third-leading cause of death.
Dr. Grobmyer, Chair of Medical Oncology & Hematology in the Oncology Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, 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.”
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Fatima bint Mubarak Center, which has 24 clinical departments specializing in treating various forms of cancer, provides cutting-edge, personalized care to each cancer patient throughout their journey, including sophisticated screening and diagnostic testing, advanced radiation treatments, and precision cellular therapies.
“At Plan B Group, it is our vision to seek platforms that are backed by substance,” said added Dr. Harmeek Singh, Founder & Chairman of Plan B Group.
“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. I urge the community to come forward as one family and run together in support of such an important cause.”
