LAUNCHING CEREMONY: The 13th Beijing Hope Run ambassadors Zhou Tao (second from left), anchor from China's Central Television Station, and Feng Gong (second from right), crosstalk performer, attend the launching ceremony at the press conference in Beijing on August 10 (CHEN RAN)

The 13th Beijing Hope Run will take place in Chaoyang Park on Saturday, September 24.

This year's run will start at 8:30 a.m. in the Open Air Theatre Square and end at about 11:30 a.m. It will cover a distance of approximately 8 km; this year's theme is "Running for Hope, Raising Money for Fighting against Cancer."

The principal organizers of the run are the Cancer Institute and Hospital (CIH) of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the China Cancer Foundation. The Embassy of Canada in Beijing, the International Red Cross (Beijing Branch) and the Chaoyang District Health Bureau are the main coordinators.

Zhou Tao, anchor from China's Central Television Station, and Feng Gong, a crosstalk performer, were appointed as the Hope Ambassadors for this year's run.

A charity project called "Health Theme Park" will be held in conjunction with the run, and provide cancer prevention information through lectures, brochures and boards.

The Beijing Hope Run originated from the Terry Fox Run, the largest single-day cancer fundraiser in the world, in memory of Terry Fox, a Canadian bone cancer patient who ran 5,373 km across Canada in 143 days in 1980 to raise funds for cancer research. The CIH has been the principal organizer of the Beijing Hope Run in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in China since it was first held in September 1999.

"The concept of 'caring for health' has been widely adopted by the public in Beijing, as the run continues," CIH President Zhao Ping said.

More than 250,000 people have taken part in the run, Zhao said. The event has raised more than 10 million yuan (approximately $1.55 million) for ongoing cancer research in China. Areas of research include cervical cancer in poor and remote areas of Shanxi Province; the Taihang Anti-Cancer Project which covers a population of more than 600,000; and epidemiological research on malignant tumors in Tibet Autonomous Region.

A fund for impoverished cancer patients identified by an "early diagnosis, early cure" project sponsored by the Ministry of Health was launched at last year's run. Currently, the fund has distributed some 246,600 yuan (about $38,000) to 327 patients nationwide, Zhao said.

Participant donates 50 yuan (about $8) will get the run's commemorative T shirt and the certificate. All the donations will go to the China Cancer Foundation.

"The run is open to everyone, since participation is considered more important than completing the set distance," said Zhao. "Participants can show their support for the anti-cancer campaign by running or walking."

For more information, please contact CIH at 010-8778 8888 or 010-6771 8863.