Run for hope event at Four Seasons Seychelles raises over R 62,500 |20 February 2024

Group photo of participants of the Run for Hope fundraising event (Photo: Contributed)

The annual Run for Hope fundraising event was held at Four Seasons Seychelles on Sunday February 18, 2024, in partnership with the Cancer Concern Association with the aim to raise much-needed awareness and support for cancer research.

The event attracted professional runners, walkers, children, resort staff, and Seychelles’ Education Minister, Dr Justin Valentin, who showed his support for the cause by attending. Leading up to the event, the resort staff engaged in various charity fundraising activities.

The Run for Hope initiative traces its roots back to Terry Fox, a young athlete who, despite losing his leg to bone cancer, ran an astonishing 5,374 kilometres (3,340 miles) across Canada in 1980 to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

Despite his valiant efforts, Terry Fox succumbed to his illness the following year, but his legacy lives on through initiatives like the Run for Hope. Inspired by Terry's story, Four Seasons Founder Isadore Sharp made a personal commitment to support cancer research and mobilised other executives to do the same.

The first Terry Fox Run was organised by Isadore Sharp and the Fox family in 1981. For more than 40 years, numerous events were organised by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts around the world to support cancer research and care in their own communities.

This year's Run for Hope event at Four Seasons Seychelles raised over R62,500. The Resorts’ general manager, Renan Astolpho, presented the donation to the chairperson of the Cancer Concern Association, Dinaz Van Der Lanz.

The success of the event was made possible by the support and participation of all who attended, contributing to the association’s efforts in spreading awareness, encouraging healthier lifestyles, and directly supporting those affected by cancer.

The run was initially scheduled for December 2023 but was postponed due to unforeseen events. The 2024 run is scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of this year.

Contributed