Zayed Charity Marathon Organised by Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel to Take Place in Yas Marina Circuit

The Zayed Charity Marathon 2014, aimed to raise funds and awareness about kidney organisationsin the UAE, will take place in Yas Marina Circuit on Friday, January 31, 2014. The racewill be held under the kind patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Organised by the Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel,in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the mega event is supported by Al Khaleej and will take place from 4pm to 9pm at the Formula One Grand Prix track at Yas Marina Circuit.

Mr. Salah Salem Al Selumi Al Zaabi , Director of Sport Management  , The Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel, said, “We are delighted to be part of this wonderful initiative that is being organised to support organisations committed to offering assistance and education to raise awareness about kidney disease. Hundreds of people are at risk from chronic kidney disease that is a growing epidemic, but early detection can help prevent the ailment. We invite everyone with a passion for the cause to join us in the fight to prevent this devastating disease.”

Donations from the 5 kilometer and 10 kilometer races will go to support charitable kidney causes and ailments in the UAE.  The top three runners will receive awards as well as cash prizes of AED 10,000 for first spot, AED 7000 for second and AED 5000 for third place. All entrants will be entitled to a participation certificate that can be downloaded online stating their finishing time.

In addition, spectators and runners will enjoy a day of health and traditional entertainment at the Athlete’s Village with live music from Arabic and Western performers.

The registration fee is for the marathon is AED 100 and runners will receive a timing chip, finisher shirt and race number. The minimum age for participants is 16 years.

Kidney disease can go undetected for years with no apparent problems until a person develops renal failure. They then either require dialysis for the rest of their lives or a kidney transplant.

Dialysis costs up to AED 65,000 per patient per year, which could go up to AED 100,000 if frequent admission to hospital is added.  In the UAE, the rate of growth (of patients on dialysis) is 10 to 15 per cent per year.

Exact figures of the incidence of kidney disease in the UAE are not recorded, but it is known that diabetes and high blood pressure are both closely associated with the condition. According to 2012 World Health Organization’s World Health Report, 30.4 per cent of adult males and 21.2 per cent of adult females in the UAE had hypertension (high blood pressure), with 15.8 per cent of males and 15.3 per cent having raised fasting blood sugar levels. Both disorders put strain on the body’s blood vessels, with the kidneys being particularly affected.Statistically, out of those suffering from Type 1 diabetes, about 33 per cent will eventually develop a chronic kidney disease within 15 years

For more information aboutZayed Charity Marathon 2014 or to register, visit http://www.premieronline.com/event/zayedmarathon%20