On Sunday 19 October, the first “Run Against Cancer” race took place, organised by the ACSOSA Zona Nord association in support of VHIO.
ACSOSA (Solidarity Action for Health – Zona Nord) is a non-profit organisation born in Barcelona’s northern neighbourhoods, with the aim of promoting charitable activities to improve community health and support medical research in different fields.
The association works collaboratively with residents from Ciutat Meridiana and Torre Baró to organise solidarity initiatives. ACSOSA is also a meeting point for people who want to contribute, help, and build a mutual support network.
This year, they raised funds for cancer research. They contacted VHIO to present their charitable initiative and interest in organising activities throughout the year, including a charity race. Due to the personal experiences of some association members, they decided to focus this first race on supporting cancer research.
From that moment on, the association organised activities throughout the year. These included charity breakfasts and brunches, a stand on Sant Jordi’s Day, and another on Mother’s Day. All of these events helped raise awareness of the association and collect funds.
The “Run Against Cancer” race took place on 19 October and covered an 8.5 km route through Collserola, open to everyone.
This first edition of the race, supported by the Nou Barris District of Barcelona City Council, raised €8,000 for cancer research at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO). Nearly 900 people took part, running or walking, and there was also the option to collaborate through a solidarity bib.
Inma Aguilar, a member of ACSOSA Zona Nord, said: “It has been amazing to see how everyone got involved with this race and the association. We’re speechless! Thank you all for taking part and helping us raise this fantastic amount!”
On the day of the race, Carles Constante, VHIO’s General Manager, congratulated the organisers: “It’s wonderful to see so many people willing to run for health and cancer research, we’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the whole organisation and to all the participants.”
Thanks to this contribution, research into new cancer treatments and improving patients’ quality of life will continue to move forward.
We would like to thank the association for their dedication and perseverance over these months. In addition, we would like to thank the Barcelona City Council for their collaboration. We would also like to thank all the organisations and sponsors that made this charitable event possible.
After the success of this first edition, we are sure that the race will become an annual event for many runners in the city who wish to support research and health in solidarity.
Thank you, ACSOSA Zona Nord, for your generosity!
