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Dubai: Participants aged from just six months to over 60 took part in Dubai's Terry Fox Run on Friday, which raised more than Dh250,000 in cash donations.
Held in Al Mamzar Park, the course spanned a maximum of 8.4km, with shorter distances available for participants and was the fifth to be held in the UAE.
About 12,000 participated in the run: an increase of around 1,500 from last year's event.
"Raising money for cancer research continues to be very important. Great strides have been made in cancer research since Terry Fox did his run," said Judy Rickatson, chairperson, Terry Fox Run committee.
Fox ran halfway across his home country Canada, after his right leg was amputated, to raise money for cancer research. He ran a total of 5,373km - the equivalent of one marathon per day - with a prosthetic leg, before his death from the disease in 1981. His run was named the 'Marathon of Hope'.
Money raised from the Dubai run, including corporate donations and sponsorships, is given to the UAE University in Al Ain's cancer research and medical treatment facility.
Rickatson continued: "The UAE University in Al Ain has told us that if Terry Fox was alive today, he probably wouldn't have died from the cancer that he had, so we are making a huge difference. The University's research is head and shoulders above everyone else."
Participants ran to raise money for cancer research, but also in memory of friends and family members affected by the disease. Monisha, 17, brought a group of friends to the run after supporting her father through a course of chemotherapy, while Kareena, 35, took part in her fifth Terry Fox Run in memory of her mother.
Former Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Run chair Dan Tonner, 62, took part in his 27th run for the organisation after first participating in 1981.
"People say that Terry Fox is dead; but look around, it's been 27 years since he died and all these people are here supporting the cause. For each of these people cancer research is important for charity, generosity and spirit of sharing the common concern. I would love to see Abu Dhabi and Dubai combinefor a single run next year in Al Ain, maybe for the 30th anniversary run: it would be the single largest [Terry Fox] Run anywhere in the world."
The Aga Khan Scouts and Guides Group performed at the opening ceremony, along with a traditional Keralite percussion group.
Ebrahim Saleh, COO of the DSF, officially opened the non-competitive run, which was also attended by Sara Hradecky, Canadian Ambassador in the UAE, John Burbridge, head of the Canadian Consulate in Dubai and Sgt Grace from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
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