Hotels Pool Resources In Aid Of Cancer Research
Abu Dhabi, UAE - This year marks the 14th year the Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Run will take place and Starwood hotels in Abu Dhabi, namely Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort, Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi and Le Meridien Abu Dhabi have pooled their resources to support this noble cause.
As in previous years, the car park at Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort will be the centerstage of all activities for the Terry Fox Run. In addition to providing the car park space, the 5-star hotel has also pledged its' banqueting facilities i.e. loan of tables, chairs and entertainment equipment, stage set up and spreading of awareness to hotel guests and associates.
This year, sister properties - Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi and Le Meridien Abu Dhabi - have also joined hands to support this charitable event. Le Royal Mridien Abu Dhabi's team of culinary experts will prepare and donate assorted mouth-watering sandwiches of various delicious fillings such as cheese, turkey, beef or tuna to be sold at the event. At Le Meridien Abu Dhabi, Terry Fox T-shirts are being sold at the Eden Spa Health Club, where proceeds will go directly to the event. Furthermore, a few days prior to the event, a special booth will be set up within Le Meridien Village where the hotel management team will take turn to raise awareness on the event by selling as many T-shirts as possible. The team will also encourage guests and visitors to donate and participate in the event. Posters on the event have been put up in the heart of the house areas of both hotels, raising awareness and encouraging hotel associates to run or volunteer for the event.
"We are pleased to be able to lend support to such a noble cause. Caring for the community is an important part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts' company culture and we hope that our support will go a long way in helping this cause ", said Thomas van Opstal, Area Manager for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Abu Dhabi.
Due to be kicked off on 20th February 2009, the 14th Terry Fox Run will begin from the car park of Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort at 10:00am and will continue for 8.5 KM along the Abu Dhabi Corniche.
Registration starts from 8am and participants are encouraged to come early to enjoy the live entertainment. You can walk, run or rollerblade. Pushchairs, wheelchairs and baby strollers are welcome! There is no fee to participate, only donations.
Every dirham raised goes directly to help cancer research. The research is done by UAE-based researchers and scientists and focuses on the needs of UAE citizens and residents.
To get participants in the mood, up-beat live entertainment and an aerobics warm up session have been planned prior to the start of the event. For more information, please visit the official Terry Fox Run website at http://www.terryfoxrun.org or contact the Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Committee at the e-mail address below.
The 1st Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Run was held in 1995. HE Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan has been the Patron of the event since its inception. The run is organised by a group of dedicated volunteers. In terms of monies raised from fundraising last year, the Abu Dhabi run was second only to the one held in Beijing, China. Close to 12,000 people participated in the event and, in total, over AED 775,000 was raised for cancer research in 2008.
The Terry Fox Story
The Terry Fox Run is named after Terrance Stanley Fox, a young Canadian who at 18 lost his right leg to bone cancer in 1977. In April 1980 Terry Fox started a cross-Canada run on an artificial leg. He called his journey "The Marathon of Hope" to draw attention to the need for more cancer research. He ran 42 km every day more than 8,500 km for 143 consecutive days, winning the hearts of 26 million Canadians and donations to his cause came from every corner. In September 1980 cancer struck again and he was forced to end his "Marathon of Hope". Terry Fox died in June 1981. He was 22 years old.
Since his death, thousands of runs have been held in Canada and throughout the world in Terry's name and over Can$400 million have been raised worldwide, over 20 years, to fund innovative cancer research. He inspired thousands to keep his dream of finding a cure for cancer, alive.
The UAE has a high incident of breast cancer in women and prostate and lung cancer in men. Funds raised by the run in Abu Dhabi supports research that will lead to curing different types of cancer. Cancer treatment has developed and improved over the past 20 years. Cancers which were once considered fatal, such as the bone cancer, which led to Terry Fox's death, can now be treated.
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Editors Note
The Terry Fox Foundation
The first annual Terry Fox Run in 1981 was organized in conjunction with the Canadian Cancer Society. In 1988, The Terry Fox Foundation became a Trust, independent of the Canadian Cancer Society, and received tax-exempt charitable status under the Income Tax Act. All money raised by the Foundation is distributed through the National Cancer Institute of Canada. The Terry Fox Foundation strives to maintain the heroic efforts and integrity that Terry himself embodied. It is a grassroots organization that does not seek government funding for administration or fundraising costs other than small grants for temporary, part-time help. The Foundation must therefore rely heavily on the generosity of the private sector to support its activities. There is one national, nine provincial offices and one international Foundation office. Currently, 87 cents of every dollar raised goes to fund cancer research. For more information, please visit the official Terry Fox Run website at http://www.terryfoxrun.org or contact the Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Committee at the e-mail abudhabiterryfoxrun@gmail.com.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Mridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently launched AloftSM, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
For more information, please contact
Ms Mouna Ouni
PR Manager
Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort
Tel : 02-6970257
Email : mouna.ouni@sheraton.com
Ms Suzanne McLean
PR Manager
Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi
Tel: 02-6950517
Email: Suzanne.mclean@lemeridien.com
Ms Dania Malki
PR Manager
Le Meridien Abu Dhabi
Tel: 02-6974643
Email: dania.malki@lemeridien.com
Mr Farid Dabaghi
Chairman Terry Fox Run committee
Tel: 050 6138035
Email : abudhabiterryfoxrun@gmail.com
Press Release 2009
