PHOTO: A Million Kuna From Humanitarian Race

This marathon must send an important message: Start with early tumour detection on time, and beat it, said minister Milinovic.

The president of the Croatian league against cancer, Damir Eljuga, ceremonially opened the Terry Fox Run and stressed the importance of the fight against serious diseases. He mentioned the alarming fact that 25 thousand people fall ill from this evil per year, or which 13 thousand die.

According to his words, that information is especially disturbing knowing Croatia’s bad demographic picture.

“This year we expect to collect a million kuna that we will donate to the clinic of malignant tumours in Zagreb, and the Centre LedILS in Split for research into tumours. With that I stress that, with this manifestation we show solidarity in the battle against this serious disease” said Eljuga.

Start with early tumour detection on time, and beat it!

After the ceremonial opening by Eljuga, the minister of health Darko Milinovic, who stressed that this great turnout shows Zagreb’s big heart, and that the winner of the race is everyone who starts on time.

“This marathon must send an important message: Start with early tumour detection on time, and beat it” said minister Milinovic. He added that the Croatian Cabinet is leading a number of programs for the early detection of cancer of the breast, cervix and colon. He also mentioned that the Croatian Cabinet will secure 100 percent more funds needed for especially expensive drugs for treating tumours.

Amongst the many famous faces in the race you could see the singer and television show host Vlatka Pokos, the popular singer Mario Mlinaric from the soap “Forbidden Love” who revealed the details of his new Guinness record where he will push a two tonne car for one and a half kilometres, and of course what sort of manifestation would it be without Luka Nizetic. However Zagreb’s mayor Milan Bandic overshadowed them all by turning up dressed for the occasion: shorts, a Terry Fox Run t-shirt, and tennis shoes that withstand 60km a day, at least according to the mayor.

World’s best scientist at Terry Fox Run

Amongst other things we talked with the world renowned researcher for tumours, Ivan Djikic, who is a winner of the American award for best researcher of the year. The centre for researching tumours in Split that Djikic works for will get funds from this race.

“The money will be used to try and find a problem with the cells that cause tumours or the lungs and colon, because they are the most frequent causes of death amongst tumours. Another recognized professor Janos Terzic will try to find how chronic infections influence the accelerated metastasis of colon cancer” concluded Djikic.

The big humanitarian project, the Terry Fox Run is being held for the ninth time with the organizers being the Canadian embassy, Zagreb Holding, Croatian League Against Cancer, under the sponsorship of Milka Mesic, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Darko Milinovic and mayor Milan Bandic.