UAE: Friends of Arthritis Patients to launch 11th marathon on February 25

This is in a strategic partnership with the Sharjah Police General Command, the Sharjah Sports Council, the Sharjah International Marine Sports Club, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sharjah Media City (Shams), Al Bataeh Municipality, the Emirates Red Crescent, and Fast Building Contracting Company.

The Friends of Arthritis Patients revealed that a package of innovative health, sports and recreational community events and activities will be organised, in addition to championships and accompanying marine activities, along with various prizes for the winners, in conjunction with the marathon, which is one of the association's initiatives aimed at urging community members to move and practise physical activity, to support arthritis patients.

This came during the press conference held by the association, on Thursday, in Aljada, in the presence of Wahida Abdelaziz, Chairperson of the Friends of Arthritis Patients, Iman Rashid Saif, Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, Hessa Al Hammadi, Director of the Community Cohesion Department at the Sharjah Social Services Department, and representatives of the sponsors and supporters of the marathon.

In addition to members of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Arthritis Patients, a number of the association's volunteers, and media representatives.

Wahida Abdelaziz confirmed that organising the eleventh marathon comes within the framework of the association's keenness to mobilise and stimulate institutional and community efforts to support arthritis patients.

In addition to enhancing community awareness and establishing healthy practices that ensure the prevention of chronic diseases, based on the visions of the wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, and in line with the wise directives of Her Highness on the necessity of making the utmost efforts to ensure a healthy and sustainable life for members of society.

She added that the association wanted to add a track with a new distance for the first time, estimated at 21 kilometres.

She also stressed the association's keenness to make every effort to present a distinguished version in which the marathon continues to achieve success, thus enhancing its leading position as one of the most important health awareness activities for arthritis in the country.

A scientific day will be organised virtually, which will precede the marathon, to talk about the importance of movement and physical activity with specialists, with the aim of encouraging physical activity and presenting the most important ways to prevent disease.

The promotion of the event was also carried out in various places in the Emirate of Sharjah and also included the central and eastern regions.

This came in cooperation with the Sharjah Municipality, the Sharjah Cooperative Society, and several entities affiliated with the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), where volunteers will be present in the branches affiliated with Sharjah Cooperative Society and Shurooq, in cooperation with the Sharjah Centre for Voluntary Work.

The marathon, which will be held this year along the Al Mamzar Corniche, includes five stages for five categories according to their ages and physical abilities, the first of which is 1 km running or walking, allocated to participants of all ages.

The second stage, which is 2.5 km running, is designated for the age group of 8 years and above. The third stage is 5 km running for the age group 13 years and above. The fourth stage is 10 km running for the age group 16 years.

The last stage is 21 km running for age group 16 and above for the first time in the marathon. (ANI/WAM)