Nile Marathon; the successful event organized by the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer (Tada’ee)
Alaa Babiker
We are glad to be covering the Nile Marathon of the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer (Tada’ee), which took place on Saturday February 11th 2023, with the honor of Khartoum Governor Mr. Ahmed Othman Hamza, who encouraged the great work of the Association, wished them a great success, and assured the government’s role in supporting children at all ages and at different levels.
We interviewed the General Manager of the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer (Tada’ee), Mrs. Nadia Diab, who thanked and welcomed The Citizen Credible Outlet for its participation and stated: (the Sudanese Association is a charity Association, established in 2006. It has many projects for serving the children’s needs; including the Guest House Project, the Health Awareness Project, and the Health Care Project, and many other projects serving children’s with cancer).
She continued: (We annually celebrate the World Cancer Day, in which we raise the awareness of cancer in all societies inside Khartoum and at the other states of Sudan. We also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Central Blood Bank regarding our campaigns of blood donations. Today we are at the square of Mogran Al-Nelain (The Confleunce), celebrating the marathon that started at Corinthia Hotel and ended here. We had many participants from different governmental and private institutions, volunteers, and other Sudanese individuals, and they were very cooperative to help us delivering the messages to support cancer patients at different levels and both financially and psychologically. We will also be having the final day in which many great public figures will join us including singers, volunteers, and different social individuals. I finally thank all the Sudanese Volunteers who are doing great work supporting us at the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer (Tada’ee)).
We spoke to Reem Mohammed Hamid, Marathon Organizer at the World Cancer Day and the Training Office Manager at the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, who stated: (Nile Marathon is registered at the Registrar General of intellectual property for the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer (Tada’ee). The name Tada’ee is the name of the guest house that is fully prepared to host children with cancer who come from others states. The name is derived from the holy Prophetic Hadith: (“The believers, in their mutual love, compassion, and sympathy are like a single body; if one of its organs suffers, the whole body will respond to it with sleeplessness and fever”). Whereas the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer organization is the organizer that is celebrates annually and for 11 years with the International World Cancer Day which comes on February. The celebration is of four days, including the Nutrition Day which comes on the same day as World Cancer Day on 4th of February, which is set at Khartoum Hospital for Oncology, where people make foods for patients and their families, having blood donation, and having the Marathon which is on February 11th 2023. All of the activities of the are held indoor, this is why the marathon was a great idea to have all people gathered participating at one place and having the chance to know more about cancer and get educated more about all the procedures of curing and living of children with cancer, and to be familiar with the curable conditions of cancer, like today we had cheers with phrases to raise the awareness of people about cancer informing them early detection is important and that we can help curing cancer at early stages better, and that nutrition is vital for curing cancer as well. After the marathon we have a Thinking Forum presenting a scientific paper discussing and addressing the actual faults and gaps during curing periods of cancer, which is our slogan “Addressing Gaps”. We invite for forum representatives from the Ministry of Health and Pharmacists, and all who are specialized and involved in the curing process of cancer.
The final day is on 15th of February, in which we and have a final ceremony to thank all the people who participated with us.
The Sudanese Association has activities other than celebrating the World Cancer Day, we have regular activities during and after the International Day, including the regular Association’s projects; example the Sustainable Awareness Project for universities, schools, neighborhoods, and institutions. We also have blood donation campaigns project. We have, in corporation with Khartoum Hospital for Oncology, the Psychological Support project for children with cancer. All of those projects are continuous even after the International World Cancer Day.
As for the Guest House, which is a regular house containing all the needs of a normal Sudanese house, in which we receive the children with cancer through the Community Office of Khartoum Hospital for Oncology, we host all those who come from far places in Khartoum State, or those who come from other states, they are welcomed and treated to feel as if they are at their own houses. If you want to know more about the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer (Tada’ee) its location is at Al-Nuzha, west to Al-Nile Fuel Station, near to Al-Nuzha Bakery, you will find that the Association has many departments including: Training Office, Volunteers Office, Psychological Support Office, Media Office, and the Awareness Office; we focus at the Training Office to train even the volunteers so that they can do the most proper job to help improve the children’s health).
We also spoke to Mohammed Mirghani Mohammed Omer, who is a member at the Motahidoon Motorcycle Team, who thanked us for our participation, and stated the reason for his participation saying : ( We participate every year at the Marathon of the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer (Tada’ee), as an encouragement, and we pray that Allah Cures all the patients of cancer, and we thank all the Aid and voluntary organizations participating, and may Allah bless all with full health and grace).
Our next statement was form Deng Mulwal Deng, an officer working at the National Emergency Team of the Sudanese Red Crescent; who said: ( we are participating today to cover the World Cancer Day organized by the Sudanese Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, because it is important to have medical assistance present at such event, to be ready to cover all emergency accidents, and we do volunteer for the sake of human being).
Saddig Haroun added: (I am a volunteer at the Sudanese Red Crescent, and the reason why I participated was that usually at mass gatherings we find cases of passing out, shock, and fainting among the gathering, and they will need immediate medical assistance. When I had the call I did not hesitate to be come, and thank all those who supervised this event specially Sudanese Association, they always do great job that really influence others to participate. May they succeed at their continuous work).
On the other have Hussain Adam Alnoor Younis, who is a Volunteer Ambulance driver, thanked everyone who worked at this event. He said they just came from hospital after helping two girls who fainted during the marathon, and they are going to cover another event at the marine scouts.
Siham Hamid Abdallah, a Volunteer at the Red Crescent said: (we are glad to participate as Sudanese to support each other’s).