People run in Bucharest for cure for cancer

The Renasterea Foundation organised on Sunday the fifth edition of the 'Happy Run! - Race for the Cure' event, the largest and most successful women's health information and fundraising event hosted by Herastrau Park in Bucharest.

From the wee hours of the morning, at the entrance to the park from Charles de Gaulle Square numerous tents and stands were set up for the registration of participants and the distribution of t-shirts and contest numbers, but also for hydration and first aid provided by the Romanian Red Cross.

The organisers also set up booths with recreational and educational activities for children, animated by mascots.

The race track was marked off with pink ribbons. Thousands of people gathered in front of the stage - children, young people, even elderly - and at 09.30hrs the warm-up before the race began conducted by trainers.

At 10:00hrs, the ambassador of the Renasterea Foundation, Andreea Esca, and the multiple Olympic champion Gabriela Szabo kicked off the competition, which comprised the following races: 5 km - run adults (women and men) and children aged between 10-14 years; 1 km - run for children between 5 and 9 years and people who have conquered cancer; Fitness Walk 5 km - walk for people of all ages and Fun Walk 1 km. Szabo ran alongside the participants in the 5km race, which took place on the route: Herastrau Park/ Charles de Gaulle Square - Maresal Prezan Bd.- Kiseleff Road - Victoriei Square - Aviatorilor Bd, and back to the entrance to the park.

The 1km walk travelled Herastrau Park / Charles de Gaulle Square - Maresal Prezan Bd - entrance to Herastrau Park from the Triumphal Arc- the- Michael Jackson Alley, exiting to the Charles de Gaulle Square.

Signing up for the competition were also teams of employees from embassies, companies, schools, as well as teams of volunteers who participated in organising the event.

Upon arrival, each participant received a medal. After the competition, the award ceremony followed, by categories: women's 5 km, men's 5 km, children between 10-14 years - 5 km; children between 5-9 years - 1 km; the winners in the fight against breast cancer, teams. The awards were presented by Italian ambassador in Bucharest Marco Giungi, presidential adviser Diana Paun, Gabriela Szabo, as well as the board members of the Renasterea Foundation - Mihaela Geoana (chair), Cristiana Copos (deputy chair), Camelia Sucu (deputy chair), Andreea Mihai, Amalia Nastase (members).

Other prizes were also awarded: the largest ambassadorial team - won by the Italian Embassy in Bucharest; the most kind-hearted team - the Catena pharmacy team; the funniest dressed team - the Natur House team; the largest team of volunteers - Ana Pan; the largest team - Jean Monnet High School (450 members).

After the award ceremony, a raffle followed, with prizes handed out by the event's sponsors.

In the end, the winners in the fight against cancer went on stage, and together with the board members of the Renasterea Foundation released pink balloons into the air symbolising hope in the fight against breast cancer.

For the fifth edition of the "Happy Run - Race for the Cure" event, 16 European cities - Bucharest, Brescia, Matera, Sofia, Split, Saint Petersburg, Belgrade, Braga, Kosovo, Gdansk, Tbilisi, Athens, Brussels, Antwerp, Namur , Sarajevo - hosted on the same day the largest charity race for health.

The Renasterea Foundation was first included in the event in 2015 that celebrates the victorious women in the fight against breast cancer. As many as 10,200 people participated in the previous editions in Bucharest in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The event was held under the patronage of the Presidential Administration and the Italian Embassy in Bucharest, with support from Romania's Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Romanian Olympic Committee and the National Red Cross Society of Romania.

The funds raised during the fifth edition of the "Happy Run! - Race for the Cure" will be used to provide free tests to women in vulnerable categories, including cancer patients and persons on low income; to support the Association of cancer patients; for the Brave Cut campaign - making natural hair wigs for cancer patients; to lobby for alignment with European standards for cancer diagnosis and therapy; the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical equipment for the Renasterea Centre of Excellence.