Sharjah: Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) announced the support of a cross-section of public and private sector entities, united in the fight against cancer, as Sharjah is preparing to hold the first Relay for Life cancer fund-raiser on November 17 and 18 at the American University of Sharjah,

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 Dh18 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.

Sawsan Jafar, chairperson of FoCP Board of Directors, said 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 Jafar.

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 fund-raising 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.”

Teams of up to 20 people can participate at the walkathon. The registration fee, which covers event admission and a T-shirt, is Dh100 for adults and Dh60 for children under 13. A Dh250 package is designed for families of two adults and two children, with Dh40 charged for each additional child. To register, visit 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 on-site, 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/.