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Cross-section of partners to raise cancer awareness and funds for patients
As the Middle East prepares to hold its first Relay for Life cancer fundraiser on 17 and 18 November at the American University of Sharjah, organisers Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) announced today the support of a cross-section of public and private sector entities, united in the fight against cancer.
Since its launch in the USA in 1985, Relay for Life, the 24-hour walkathon held worldwide, has mobilised communities to support cancer patients and raised over AED 18 billion for the cause.
Following Sharjah’s announcement that it would host Relay for Life in association with the American Cancer Society last April, numerous organisations have come forward to support the event and alleviate the plight of cancer sufferers.
Crescent Petroleum and Bank of Sharjah are Relay for Life’s Platinum Partners while Petrofac is the Gold Partner.
HE Sawsan Jafar, Chairperson of FoCP Board of Directors, said that the generosity and eagerness of partners to engage in the first Relay for Life in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) illustrated the support of the wider UAE community towards the cause.
“The partnership from such a broad section of the business community and government entities reflects the desire to come together for a common cause that affects so many people across the world,” commented HE Jafar. “These brands are great ambassadors for the walkathon and through their respective fields they reach an enormous audience.”
She added, “As hosts of the first Relay for Life in the MENA region, we will ensure that the event lives up to its international reputation as one of the most important fundraising and awareness drives in the fight against cancer and its message that early detection leads to the most effective form of treatment. It is a universal message to every one of us that many forms of cancer are not incurable.”
“At Crescent Petroleum, we aim to empower the Middle East by developing its core energy assets, including its human capital. As cancer is a leading cause of premature death and disability worldwide, we would like to support our people in building a future free of this disease,” said Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum. “We are proud to support Friends of Cancer Patients in introducing Relay for Life events to the region to raise awareness and encourage action against cancer on a larger scale.”
From her end, Aida Armali, Manager at Bank Of Sharjah said: “Bank of Sharjah is proud to be the Platinum sponsor of Friends of Cancer Patients fundraising event "RELAY FOR LIFE". This event, held worldwide since 1985, is brought for the first time to the Middle East where it will be held the Emirate of Sharjah, on 17th & 18th November 2017.”
Armali added: “Bank of Sharjah respects the strength and powerful will of cancer patients and survivors. The Bank stands in solidarity with the Friends of Cancer Patients to honor the incredible power of humanity that cancer patients and survivors represent. Their ability to move forward is an inspiration to us all. On November 17 and 18, Bank of Sharjah identifies the struggle, triumph, and future of cancer patients and survivors as we walk in unison and are reminded of the unequaled gift of life.”
The event has rallied partners across multiple sectors of the economy, including Venue Partner, American University of Sharjah; Bronze Partner, RTS Investment Group; Sustainability Partner, Bee’ah; Water Partner, Mai Dubai; Media Partner, Motivate; Radio Partner, Arabian Radio Network; Music Partner, The Sound Gaarden; Footwear Partner, Sketchers; Broadcast Partner, B4U PLUS; Security Partner, G4S; Exchange Partner, UAE Exchange; and Outdoor Media, Al Shuala Media.
Various other established organisations support the event, such as Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival, Sharjah Airport International Freezone, Sharjah Children Centers, Jebel Ali Free Zone Association, DP World, The Ritz Carlton Dubai, Al Noor Island, Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Altitude, Hawas TV, Real Estate - Name you can trust, Emirates American Football League, Lootah Premium Foods, Nasser Abdulla Lootah Group – Nasser Lootah Real Estate and Evolvin’ Women.
Teams of up to 20 people can participate at the walkathon. The registration fee, which covers event admission and a T-shirt, is AED 100 for adults and AED 60 for children under 13. An AED 250 package is designed for families of two adults and two children under, with AED 40 charged for each additional child. To Register http://focp.ae/relayforlifeuae/participate-form/.
In addition to engaging participants in the walkathon, Relay for Life enables people to further contribute to the cause through food and beverage purchases and ticketed games and activities onsite, among others.
For the groundbreaking event to run smoothly, community members are encouraged to volunteer on the two days of Relay for Life, as explained on http://focp.ae/relayforlifeuae/volunteer/.
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