While Chennapatnam is cheerfully celebrating its 375th glorious year, the annual Terry Fox run at IIT Madras campus on Sunday, 24th Aug 2014 witnessed a gathering of over 25000 vivacious Chennaites, men, women, youngster and children expressing their solidarity – ‘’to spread awareness on Cancer’’ by participating in the ‘’Marathon of Hope’’, as espoused by Terrance Stanley Fox popularly known as “Terry Fox”, a humanitarian, cancer research activist and a Canadian athlete, whose noble initiative was brought to Chennai by young Akash Dubey another champion in the battle against cancer who unfortunately fell victim to it.
The event organized by the Rotary Club of Madras East at the IIT Madras, was flagged off inside the sprawling green campus by Dr.SS Badrinath, Chairman Emeritus, Sankara Nethralaya, Lt.Col. Jasbir Singh and IIT-M Director Dr.Bhaskar Ramamurthi.
Addressing the participants including Consultants, Fellows, PGs, students of the Elite School of Optometry amongst others who had gathered for the 6 km ‘Run for a Cause’, Dr.SS Badrinath observed that research and study on cancer assumed paramount importance in the interest of the Nation and is a noble way of giving back to society. Rotary Club President Shri VGP. Ravidas remarked that it was essential to both raise awareness and channelize funds for cancer research.
The gathering also witnessed emotive and cheerful talks by cancer survivors as ‘Ambassadors’ to the occasion to the thunderous beat of ‘Chennai Drums’.
Posters and banners put up by Sankara Nethralaya sent clear messages on the Retinoblastoma – a cancer of the eye, a sight debilitating ailment occurring largely in children and the research activities of the Vision Research Foundation, to prevent and treat it, all along the 6 km stretch. The Sankara Nethralaya stall put up at the venue was well managed by Sri Harikumar, Sri Arasu Kumar, Ms. Shalini and Sri Arun Kumar who educated the eager participants about Cancer its prevention and treatment.
The impressive event came to a close, with its donations earmarked for Sankara Nethralaya’s cancer research activities.