Patrick Okidi
LIRA:
Over 160 people participated in the centenary rotary cancer awareness run held on Sunday, with the main event taking place at Lira Town College ground.
Mr. Felix Eciru, the area manager of Centenary Bank branch in Lira, said: “The number of people who have created awareness today in the community is a sign that we actually need to always come together and widen awareness. The 36-bed capacity cancer ward at Nsambya Hospital was a project put in place by Centenary Bank. This year alone, Centenary Bank has also contributed a total of UGX 300 million towards bridging the cancer gap. We believe that a healthy community is our sole responsibility and that every single coin counts.”
Secretarial development partners such as MTN Uganda, the media, and Krystal Water were also present. Ronald, the manager of Centenary Bank Apac branch, also joined Centenary Bank Lira branch in creating awareness about cancer.
Victoria Awor Ogwal, the president of Lira Metropolitan Rotary Club, said that they were very delighted with the over 160 participants who turned up for the run. “We are very grateful to Centenary Bank for their support and to all the other partners who made this event possible,” she said.
Lira City Mayor Sam Atul awarded certificates to several participants, including Denis Demian Okii, Voice of Lango, Unity FM, Krystal Water, and MTN Uganda. “I encourage you to do your run and to help the people around you understand why the Rotary Club is doing the run,” he said.
According to Mayor Atul, people should seek medical treatment early enough because there is only one cancer center in the country. He thanked the government for building the Northern Uganda Cancer Center in Gulu, which will reduce the distance that people have to travel to get cancer treatment.
Atul added that this is a very important event because one of the ways to help us avoid other diseases is through awareness. “Statistics show that 33,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in Uganda, of which 7,400 make it to the care at the Uganda Cancer Institute,” he said.
The event was a success and it helped to raise awareness about cancer in the community. The organizers are grateful to all the participants and partners who made it possible.