Sharjah 24: The Friends of Arthritis Patients, one of the health-supporting associations affiliated with the Health Promotion Department of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, announced its intention to launch the eleventh marathon on February 25, 2024.
This is in a strategic partnership with the Sharjah Police General Command, the Sharjah Sports Council, the Sharjah International Marine Sports Club, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sharjah Media City (Shams), Al Bataeh Municipality, the Emirates Red Crescent, and Fast Building Contracting Company.
The Friends of Arthritis Patients revealed that a package of innovative health, sports and recreational community events and activities that will be organised, in addition to championships and accompanying marine activities, along with various prizes for the winners, in conjunction with the marathon, which is one of the association’s initiatives aimed at urging community members to move and practice physical activity, to support arthritis patients.
This came during the press conference held by the association, on Thursday, in Aljada, in the presence of Her Excellency Wahida Abdelaziz, Chairperson of the Friends of Arthritis Patients, Her Excellency Iman Rashid Saif, Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, Her Excellency Hessa Al Hammadi, Director of the Community Cohesion Department at the Sharjah Social Services Department, and representatives of the sponsors and supporters of the marathon. In addition to members of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Arthritis Patients, a number of the association’s volunteers, and media representatives.
Her Excellency Wahida Abdelaziz confirmed that organising the eleventh marathon comes within the framework of the association’s keenness to mobilise and stimulate institutional and community efforts to support arthritis patients. In addition to enhancing community awareness and establish healthy practices that ensure the prevention of chronic diseases, based on the visions of the wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, and in line with the wise directives of Her Highness on the necessity of making the utmost efforts to ensure a healthy and sustainable life for members of society.
Her Excellency added that the association wanted to add a track with a new distance for the first time, estimated at 21 kilometres. She also stressed the association’s keenness to make every effort to present a distinguished version in which the marathon continues to achieve successes, thus enhancing its leading position as one of the most important health awareness activities for arthritis in the country.
A scientific day will be organised virtually, which will precede the marathon, to talk about the importance of movement and physical activity with specialists, with the aim of encouraging physical activity and presenting the most important ways to prevent disease.
The promotion to the event was also carried out in various places in the Emirate of Sharjah, and also included the central and eastern regions. This came in cooperation with the Sharjah Municipality, the Sharjah Cooperative Society, and several entities affiliated with the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), where volunteers will be present in the branches affiliated with Sharjah Cooperative Society and Shurooq, in cooperation with the Sharjah Centre for Voluntary Work.
The marathon, which will be held this year along the Al Mamzar Corniche, includes five stages for five categories according to their ages and physical abilities, the first of which is 1 km running or walking, allocated to participants from all ages. The second stage, which is 2.5 km running, is designated for the age group of 8 years and above. The third stage is 5 km running for the age group 13 years and above. The fourth stage is 10 km running for the age group 16 years. The last stage is 21 km running for age group 16 and above for the first time in the marathon. Those wishing to participate in the marathon can register via the website or call 80080000.
It is worth noting that the marathon, organised by the Friends of Arthritis Patients, is one of the largest community sporting events. Since its launch in 2009, it has managed to attract more than thirty thousand participants, and has played an important role in raising awareness of arthritis and stimulating the practice of sporting activities.
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