Mumbai: The 18th edition of the Terry Fox Run (India) will be held on the 21st February, 2016 at Nariman Point (Air India Building), Mumbai. The run is organized by the Terry Fox (India) Committee and is expected to witness participation from 7000 – 10000 school students across the city. The run will be flagged off at 8 am by Jordan Reeves, Consulate General of Canada and Honourable Governor of Maharashtra, Mr. Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao. In addition, a special run is organized for friends and families of those affected by cancer, with approximately 100 individuals participating.
The Terry Fox Run, also known as the Marathon of Hope is a non-competitive event where school students and individuals from all walks of life participate and raise money towards cancer research amongst children. All proceeds collected through the event are donated to Tata Memorial Hospital. Mumbai’s determination to fight cancer has made it into the top 3 cities of the world for giving generously towards cancer research through the Terry Fox Run.
One of the biggest highlights of this year’s event is the special run organized for friends and families of those affected by cancer. The idea is to provide a platform for people to run for someone they love, who is currently battling the disease, who has already battled the disease or who has lost his/her life to it. The 5 km run will be flagged off at 6:30 am from Air India Building.
Mr. Gul Kripalani, Chairman, Terry Fox Run (India) Committee said, “We are excited to host the 18th edition of the Terry Fox Run in Mumbai. Through the years, awareness about cancer amongst children, especially of the osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) type has increased by leaps and bounds and we are happy to have made a significant contribution to the same. I thank each and every participant that comes out on a Sunday morning and joins us in our quest to outrun cancer. For us, the real heroes, apart from those 10000 kids who run to show their support, are those kids affected by Cancer who run on the streets every year in the hope to find a cure to their disease.”
Renowned fashion designer and passionate philanthropist, Maheka Mirpuri is putting together a specially designed collection that will be previewed at this year’s Terry Fox Run. Maheka who is closely associated with the Tata Memorial Hospital has invited her celebrity friends like Madhoo, Bhagyashree, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi to name a few, to walk the ramp in her designs at the Marathon of Hope. Keith Sequiera and Rochelle Rao will also be present at the run to lend their support to the cause.
From 300 school children running at the Priyadarshini Park in its first year to 7000+ participants in 2015, the Terry Fox Run surely has come a long way in Mumbai. The Terry Fox (India) Committee hopes to continue contributing towards the achievement of a cancer free future and looks forward to your lasting support for the same.
About Terry Fox Run India
The Terry Fox (India) Committee in Mumbai, organizes a Run every year to garner support for Research in Cancer amongst children. All proceeds collected through the run are donated to the Tata Memorial Hospital for the purpose of conducting research.
The Run is a non-competitive event where school students and individuals from all walks of life participate and raise money in Terry Fox’s name. It is a day of celebrating Terry’s legacy and helping to keep his dream of a cure for cancer alive. Mumbai can be proud about the results of working together, with no barriers or frontiers for the benefit of all. The research at Tata Memorial Hospital funded by the Terry Fox Run over the past years is briefly described below:
Testing a radiotheraphy technique to reduce side effects and prevent brain dysfunction.
A new way to follow-up patients with tumors effectively, while also incurring minimal cost.
Researching how the HP virus causes eye tumors – and how they can be prevented.
The role of indigenous botanical products in managing bone tumors.
Evaluation of Zolendronic acid to assist treatment of high grade osteosarcoma.
Using a new form of radiotherapy for children with nose and throat cancer for best results.
Testing the optimum doses of drugs for boosting immunity in children with cancer.
Researching the genetic profile of children with leukemia.
Researching the genetic profile of children with brain tumors.
Studying the response to therapy and residual in leukemia at molecular levels.
Researching high-precision radiotherapy in pediatric patients.
About Terry Fox
"Terry Fox was a Canadian who at a very young age was struck by a Cancer called Osteogenic Sarcoma (bone cancer) in his right leg.
To make the world aware of this kind of cancer he ran from East Coast to the West Coast of Canada and thus collected money for research. On September 1st 1980 while he was half way on his run, he succumbed to this but had realized the dream of collecting CAD 1 per Canadian and had Collected CAD 30 million when he breathed his last. Thus began a journey called Marathon of Hope. Terry died soon after, leaving this legacy behind, commonly known as the Terry Fox Run"
