The Terry Fox Run returned to Dubai with more than 4,000 people taking part in the cancer research event. Participants were able to run, walk, bike and rollerblade or use a wheelchair on the 5-kilometre route on the creek side of Dubai Festival City Mall. The race is expected to raise about Dhs 367,000 in donations.
The first Dubai Terry Fox Run was held in the UAE in 1994, organised by a volunteer committee. It is still organised by volunteers who operate with no monetary budget. It is named in honour of Terry Fox, a Canadian who was told he had cancer when he was 18. Overcome by the suffering of others around him with the disease, Fox tried to run across Canada, raising money to fund cancer research in hope that a cure would one day be found. His epic run became known as the Marathon of Hope.
Unable to complete it because of his condition, he died of the disease at 22, leaving behind a legacy that would resonate worldwide. To keep his memory alive, Terry Fox Runs are organised in cities across the world including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
So far, more than USD 650 million (Dhs 2.387 billion) has been raised. All proceeds are retained in the race’s host country and go to recognised research institutions approved by the Terry Fox Foundation.