Honouring the life and sacrifice of Terry Fox, the Canadian athlete, humanitarian and cancer research activist, the annual run is a focal point of the community calendar for family, friends, colleagues and philanthropists to join the fight against cancer.

The 2018 run was especially poignant as it coincided with the start of the Year of Zayed, which commemorates the exceptional work and impactful legacy of the UAE’s founding father and global humanitarian, the late Sheikh Zayed. The donations raised from the Friday’s run will contribute to a total of AED3.2 million that will help fund cancer research projects across the Emirates.

Speaking on Friday, Terry’s brother Fred Fox, Manager of Supporter Relations at the Terry Fox Foundation, said, “I had the opportunity to participate in the run three years ago in Abu Dhabi, and I know today’s run brought the same incredible energy from a community that is inspired by Terry and wants to continue his legacy. The run is fuelled by these local communities who give their time and compassion alongside a global community joined together in the fight against a worldwide disease. The UAE residents have been a part of this work since its inception. It is a day where you can honour someone you know who has been diagnosed with cancer and gives you the opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone else.”

The run is free of charge for participants. Through t-shirt purchases and monetary donations, Terry Fox Runs across the UAE have raised a cumulative AED22 million to date, not including this weekend’s activity, which supports cancer research in the Emirates. This year, more than AED3 million will go towards financing UAE cancer research projects.

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