The long-awaited Rotary Cancer Run at Kololo ceremonial grounds is back.
The run is an annual event organized since 2012 by rotarians to bridge the gap in the fight against the cancer scourge by building a one stop cancer screening and treatment centre at Nsambya Hospital, Kampala.
In May this year, construction of the bunkers commenced and it is for this reason that the run is on.
The total cost of constructing these will cost over Shs 13.5bn. From 2016 to 202, Shs 2.3bn has been raised.
Speaking during the press launch at Nsambya Hospital, past district governor Stephen Mwanje who is also chair of the Uganda Rotary Cancer Programme expressed rotary’s gratitude for the overwhelming support received from Ugandans and people from all over the world over for the last 11 years.
He recounted the big milestones achieved so far.
"For three years now, a well-equipped 36-bed cancer treatment centre at Nsambya Hospital worth UGX1.5 billion has been operational; after building the cancer centre, Shs200million of the collections from the run held in 2015 was contributed towards the construction of the Rotary Blood Bank at Mengo Hospital. The Rotary Cancer Run has enjoyed years of global participation, and this year we started the construction of the two bunkers which will house two ultra-modern linear accelerators which are cancer testing and treatment machines we hope to import in the near future," Mwanje said.
Fabian Kasi, the managing director Centenary Bank said the annual Rotary Cancer Run is a reminder to every Ugandan that the minute we join forces in the battle against cancer in Uganda, we can achieve greater things than we aim to achieve.
He said this year, Centenary Bank will commit Shs 150M towards the preparation of the cancer run.
Registration for the Rotary Cancer Run 2022 has already started at all Centenary Bank Branches in Kampala, Rotary Cancer Programme Uganda Offices in Muyenga (Zimwe Road), Uganda Rotary office on 9th Floor NIC Building and Capital Shoppers outlets, at only Shs 25,000.
Over the years, 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.
In total, over Shs3.6billion has been raised, and many other forms of support in kind rendered to facilitate the fight against cancer in Uganda.
The 11th edition of the annual Rotary Cancer Run is sponsored by Centenary Bank, Parliament of Uganda, supported by New Vision, Rwenzori, MAAD Advertisement among others,” revealed Emmy Kwesiga, chair for this year’s Rotary Cancer Run organizing committee.
