Dubai Terry Fox Run announces Corporate Challenge

All proceeds from the Run, to be held February 7, 2003, help support cancer research in the UAE and elsewhere in the world.

"The Dubai Terry Fox Run is modelled on a very successful international charity Canadian event that is held in numerous cities around the world. The Run provides an ideal opportunity for the UAE's corporates to actively and visibly support a worthy cause, while underscoring their commitment to the community-at-large," said Calvin Pynn, Chairperson of the Organising Committee.

"We have already been approached by several companies with support offers, and we encourage every corporate house in the region to consider playing some small role - whether it be corporate sponsorship of the Run, a financial donation, or the organisation of a staff outing that will enable its employees to partake in the Run and collect donations that will fund cancer research. This year is particularly conducive to corporate participation because it is an official Dubai Shopping Festival event and we sincerely hope organisations, both large and small, will consider ways they can help contribute to the success of this annual event that continues to grow in popularity the world over," he said.

Corporate participation in the Dubai Terry Fox Run is open to all companies in the UAE, and can take the guise of one or more contributions - staff/group donations towards cancer research, support in terms of physical contributions, the volunteer of resources both human and in kind, and the participation of corporate teams. Several Dubai and Sharjah based organisations have already confirmed their support, including DHL, the Canadian Business Council, MMI Logistics, Oasis Greetings, the Fairmont Hotel, Oasis, the Welcare Hospital, MMI, International Printing Press, Spinneys, Choithrams, the Maya Lal group and the Royal Bank of Canada, among others.

Companies interested in pooling together a group of staff to participate in the Run are encouraged to organise their own publicity, can avail of special pre-event registration and can purchase Terry Fox tee-shirts branded with their company logos, from the Organising Committee. Participating companies are also identified on the Run's official website (www.dubaiterryfoxrun.org) and special signage, highlighting corporate participants is posted at the Run site on the day of the event.

"The Dubai Terry Fox Run presents a great opportunity for companies to encourage their employees to engage in a healthy activity for an important and worthy cause. All it takes is one keen staff member in every organisation to encourage their colleagues to do the Run and collect donations, and the Corporate Challenge will really take off the way we envisage it. It will be a huge achievement for us in the UAE to see this segment of the Run become as popular as school participation," said Carla Duarte, Volunteer Corporate Director.