As with every year since this event started in Athens, back in 2009, our school participated in the ‘Race For The Cure’ at the end of last month. This event is very close to the hearts of many pupils, teachers and parents and has become an event that gathers all of us together at the beginning of every school year. The event is organized in Greece by the “Panhellenic Society of Women with Breast Cancer, ALMA ZOIS” with the aim to support women who have or had breast cancer and to raise awareness of prevention of this disease.
‘Race for the Cure’ started in 1983 in the city of Dallas, in the USA and from the first event's 800 participants, the concept has now expanded to annual Races that attract hundreds of thousands of participants in more than 120 locations globally.
‘Race for the Cure’ has now become the biggest sporting event for women’s health in Europe. It helps breast cancer organisations and hospitals to collect funds and raise awareness. With 500,000 new diagnoses and 125,000 people who die of breast cancer in Europe every year, these funds are of vital importance. This year, as with 2020, the ‘Race’ could not happen in Greece, nor in most countries, in the usual way with the physical presence of participants due to measures to protect against COVID 19. It was not cancelled however, and instead took place ‘virtually’, with participants being encouraged to do their own walk or run. In St. Lawrence College, pupils from all year groups performed a walk or run during their PE lessons and many teachers also completed a run or walk during their lunch times, to show once again that our community is stronger than ever in the belief that breast cancer can be prevented and cured. Each participant donated some money and altogether through these events we raised €1,030 which has already been handed over to the ‘Race For The Cure’ organisation. Well done to each and every person who took part in these events and contributed generously to this important cause.
