2020 Rotary Cancer Run to be held virtually

This year’s Rotary Cancer Run will be held virtually due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, organisers have announced.

The runners will participate at home while watching proceedings on the Uganda Rotary Cancer Program website ​​and official Rotary Cancer Run Facebook page on August,30, 2020.

“Technology gives us options to participate from anywhere in the world. Like we have seen

with meetings, we can all take part in this year’s Rotary Cancer Run by running, walking or simply doing exercise at home or in our neighborhoods,” said Stephen Mwanje , the chairperson of the Uganda Rotary Cancer Program.

“However, you must adhere to social distancing guidelines as issued by the government.”

Mwanje said participants will be able to download certificates of attendance from the Rotary Cancer Run website and share copies on social media.

According to Rotary District Governor for Uganda and Tanzania, Rosetti Nabbumba Nayenga said that this year, Rotary is involved in Food and Nutrition campaign to promote healthy living but also appealed to the public to exercise, eat healthy and go for regular medical check-ups.

“This Rotary year, we are focusing on Food and Nutrition as a key objective. Health experts tell us that if we eat healthy and exercise we can avoid cancer. I appeal to all Rotarians and Ugandans at large to practice healthy living, which is one of the ways to fight cancer,” she said.

“We continue to appeal to people to do everything they can to avoid contracting this disease as well as spreading it. At the same time, we should not forget that cancer still exists and kills many people.”

The Centenary Bank Managing Director, Fabian Kasi said they will continue collecting funds through the Rotary Cancer Run to construct a bunker at Nsambya hospital.

“The work on eradicating cancer, building awareness, palliative care still needs all our support. We

haven’t yet raised enough money as part of this campaign to build the Bunker at Nsambya

hospital. The linear accelerator machines are not yet here too. We therefore still need all

your contribution and support,”Kasi said.

“Our support to the Rotary Cancer Run and other programs has been on for nine years now, and I believe through collaborative efforts, we can impact the lives of those in the communities where we operate as individuals and businesses.”

The Centenary Bank Managing Director said this year, they have contributed shs100 million towards the cancer run

“On top of this, we have made provision for both customers and non-customers to remit their Cancer Run payments and donations through our Centemobile platform and over 4,000 CenteAgents country-wide. We shall also be part of other cancer awareness campaigns planned for this year.”

Launched in 2012, the Rotary Cancer Run has attracted over 50,000 participants annually from Uganda, and the diaspora who have supported either through direct donations, charity drives, or by attending the run to raise funds to set up facilities for cancer treatment in Uganda.

To date, over shs3 billion has been contributed and part of it has been used to build the  Rotary-Centenary Bank Cancer Centre in Nsambya hospital and the Rotary Blood Bank in Mengo Hospital.