Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among on Wednesday launched the 2024 Rotary cancer run and donated shs1 billion for the completion of the radiotherapy centre at St. Francis Hospital, Nsambya.
Speaker Among was welcomed at Nsambya by the hospital management and the organisers of the Rotary cancer run before touring the cancer ward and bunker site.
Among commended the Rotary cancer run initiative in serving humanity and on behalf of Parliament, who are premium sponsors of the run, committed to supporting the project to its timely completion.
“As a people-centred Parliament, we will generously support the completion of the bunkers and we should be able to finish it as soon as possible because once completed, it will bring a smile to Nsambya Hospital, cancer patients, all the runners and Rotarians,” Among said.
The theme for this year’s edition, which will be held on August 25, 2024, at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, is “Spread Magic in Every Step”.
It will also be the thirteenth year of the Rotary Cancer Run in Uganda.
The House speaker urged all Ugandans of goodwill to join hands and support the project to create a significant impact on the lives of cancer patients.
“This project will help in complementing the treatment of cancer and decongesting other hospitals… On behalf of Parliament, we shall contribute Shs1 billion towards this year’s cancer run. This money that we get for donations must be spent on humanity,” she said.
Among commended the former Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga for spearheading Parliament’s campaign towards supporting cancer runs during the 10th Parliament.
Parliament’s Shs1 billion contributions alone almost equal the Shs1.1 billion raised during the 2023 cancer run.
This year, Rotary Uganda hopes to raise shs4 billion and double the number of participants from 30,000 in 2023 to 60,000 in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Rotary Club Gulu Cluster has begun preparations for the upcoming cancer run on August 27, 2024, with the sole goal of raising sh2 billion for the construction and completion of a cancer institute at St. Francis Hospital, Nsambya.
For Acholi sub-region, the Rotary cancer run will be hosted by the famous Kaunda grounds in Gulu City.
David Labeja Otto, the president of Rotary club Gulu City cluster urges members of the public to overwhelmingly support this noble.
He says the proceeds from the Cancer run will help aid the completion of the radiotherapy at St. Francis Hospital now that the country is grappling with a high cancer burden.
“As Rotarians, we are light minded people, we are here to serve irrespective of skin colours, ages and religions” he said.
Just like her fellow Rotarian, Jolly Laker Grace, the president for Rotary Club Gulu district cluster encouraged health partners to support this cause.
During the Cancer run, Laker called on the public to embrace services such as free screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and some other tests that will be free of charge.
“We are going to offer a variety of health services during the cancer run, for example, free screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer screening, among others,” she said.
With Centenary Bank being one of the biggest sponsors, Calvin Oneka, an employee of Centenary Bank Gulu branch is concerned by the statistics that at least 33,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Uganda. Out of those, only 7,400 always get medical care from the Uganda Cancer Institute.
“As Centenary Bank, we are supporting this initiative because the cancer burden is enormous and we need to really support cancer patients for them to at least live longer,” he said.
St. Francis Hospital is a Catholic Mission Referral Hospital owned by the Archdiocese of Kampala and managed by the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.
The 361 bed capacity hospital, according to the hospital website, was founded in 1903. The facility is involved in patient care, research and teaching, specialist services in surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology.
Other specialised services include urology, eye care, orthopaedics, endocrinology, endoscopy, laparoscopy, mammography, HIV/AIDS, accidents, and other emergencies.
St. Francis Hospital Nsambya has both general and private patients’ facilities.
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