06 November, 2023
Over 450 runners and walkers gathered at Harbor Sports Club on Saturday, October 28, for the 'Run for a Cure' race organized by Community Life.
This event marked the end of the breast cancer awareness month and aimed to support the Zahra Breast Cancer Association. The objective of the event was to raise awareness about breast cancer and to celebrate and honor its survivors.
Participants included KAUST community members and over 80 visitors from our community partners, the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business & Entrepreneurship (MBSC), King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), Economic Cities and Special Zones Authorities (ECZA), LUCID, and CEER motors. Several runners from the Jeddah Running Club and Hejaz Ultra also joined the event.
The run consisted of three categories: 10K, 5K and a 3K walk through KAUST on the shores of the Red Sea. The race also had a team relay category in which 9 teams entered. Most people opted for the 5K run and the 3K walk.
The route also took runners over a roadway created from plastic waste collected as part of the Green Road Initiative. An innovative project in collaboration with Dow Chemical Co.'s ELVALOY™ polymer technology, Napco National, Averda, and AlJazeera Paint, that reflects KAUST's commitment to Saudi Arabia's sustainable circular carbon economy.
The race concluded at Discovery Square, which was converted into a race village making it a space for connecting and learning about breast cancer while enjoying healthy refreshments, DJ, face painting and more.
Our partner, the International Medical Center (IMC), was present on-site conducting BMI testing and providing information on the importance of early detection, screening and overall health and well-being.
Elisa Grassi, a Ph.D. student, and athlete at KAUST, presented as a community ambassador for breast cancer at the event. She discussed her research on non-invasive early cancer detection and her results in testing plasma blood samples for breast and colon cancer patients. She emphasized the importance of raising awareness about cancer and encouraging people to take an active role in their health.
Photos from the event are now uploaded on the Community Life Flickr account.
Please check them here.
For the top runners, please see below tables.
A big shout out to our partners for making this event possible - Spokeshub, IMC, Tamini Global, Ministry of DJs, Baitak, Beach to Beacon and Zahra Breast Cancer Association.
We also thank more than 30 volunteers from the community for helping in the pre-event set up and on the race day.
For those who have the running bug or would like to prepare for your next big race, Beach to Beacon will run their usual 3.5k or 5K route on Saturday, December 2 and meets on the first Saturday of every month. Everyone is welcome to join them at 6:45 a.m. at the car parking of Island Recreation Center.
