(Vienna, 23rd September 2013) At the University Campus in the "Old Vienna General Hospital", a run is being held in aid of cancer research. On 4 October 2014 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Cancer Research Run for the MedUni Vienna’s Cancer Research Initiative is being held for the eighth time. The run will provide an easy opportunity to combine personal sporting activity with a good cause: every completed lap will provide support for the internationally renowned Vienna cancer research facility.
One lap of the university campus is 850 metres, and the more laps that are run, the more money will be donated to the Cancer Research Initiative. "Last year, we raised over Euro 70,000", says initiator Michael Micksche from the MedUni Vienna's Institute of Cancer Research, adding: "This is not a race, but rather it is a sociable fun run for a good cause."
Anyone can take part. Numerous companies have joined up with a team, declaring themselves as partners for cancer research. Many are joining in with friends or family and are running or just walking for as long as they want to and while they're having fun. Says Micksche: "Whether it be three or thirty laps, every contribution is a contribution towards the entrant's own health and an invaluable one towards cancer research."
"The cancer research run provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the fight against cancer and provides very important additional funding for research in what, unfortunately, are basically difficult conditions. Cancer research is one of the key areas of focus at our university, and we're one of the front-runners internationally in this field," says the MedUni Vienna's rector, Wolfgang Schütz.
Hope in the fight against cancer
In Austria, more than 37,000 people develop cancer every year. Although some types of tumour can already be treated effectively and, in Austria the number of successful treatment outcomes is excellent, around 20,000 people still die of the disease in Austria every year. "Through molecular pathology investigations, we are learning how to assess tumours more and more effectively and, thanks to a range of new medications, we are able to offer our patients increasingly targeted treatments," explains Christoph Zielinski, Head of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, cancer centre run jointly by the MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital. "Discoveries in cancer research mean that we are now able to fight breast, colon or prostate cancer, for example, very effectively nowadays, although we still need major breakthroughs for other types of cancer. The revenue from the cancer research run will help us to get new, highly promising research projects off the ground."
At the MedUni Vienna, cancer research is one of our particularly successful key areas of research. Together with the Vienna General Hospital, the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) was founded in a landmark event designed to establish a cancer treatment centre that matches the very highest international standards. It is here that all of the clinicians involved with these diseases are coordinated, and each patient case is discussed by an interdisciplinary team of specialists.
Cancer Research Initiative
The “Cancer Research Initiative” was founded in 2005 and has been collecting donations in order to keep the renowned cancer research at the MedUni Vienna competitive at an international level and to make intramural research independent of various interest groups.
Date & registrations
The 8th cancer research run is taking place on Saturday 4th October from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on a circuit (850 m) at the University campus (9., Altes AKH, Hof 2). Runners can pick up a run number and ticket from 9 a.m. (Euro 15). Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., runners can complete as many laps as they are able and willing to. There are attractive sponsorship and partner packages available for companies (information can be found on the Internet at www.meduniwien.ac.at/krebsforschungslauf).