Author Topic: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey  (Read 12041 times)

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Offline kayakebab

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Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« on: July 22, 2014, 07:22:03 AM »
I'm sure everyone is aware of Race for Life in the UK, and the millions of pounds that are raised every year for cancer research.

This year George's ( Rimms ) lovely wife Chris decided to take up running.
A few weeks ago her daughter in law Dawn was doing Race for Life in the UK, so on the same day Chris decided to run 5k here as moral support.

Well, nothing's a secret here, so a few of us, in fact over 50, got together and walked or ran with her and money raised was sent to Dawns Just Giving page.

Anyway, one thing led to another and George being a man of great ambition and vision got thinking about whether we could make this an annual event and raise money here to help beat cancer.

Meetings have taken place with the relevant people and the fantastic news is that on APRIL 19th 2015 the FIRST EVER OFFICIAL RACE FOR LIFE TURKEY will take place in Fethiye.

So, what next?

A team is currently being out together to organise everything.
We will need lots of different skills and volunteers before, and of course during the event, whether walking running, hobbling, staggering after a night on the Efes, doesn't matter, the main thing is to take part, and raise money here in Fethiye to beat cancer.

George is in the process of talking with hospital consultants to establish what is here already and what we could do to help.
As far as we know there is no cancer research charity per se here, so it maybe that we fund screening equipment, a particular type of cancer treatment, who knows, it's early days and all so exciting!!!

So watch this space.... We are the little acorns who will become the mighty oak tree, with everyone's help and support, we could even find this oak tree spreading across the whole country, who knows!

Kevin Rowe is currently doing 10 week training programmes and is confident he can train ANYONE to run 5k.
Some have started, early on Saturday mornings and from the photos it looks like everyone's doing so well.

I haven't started yet, I damaged my toe and subsequently have lost the nail after a confrontation with the door in TEB bank, so just remember, banking is far more dangerous than running!

Our slogan :

WALK IT, RUN IT, BEAT IT!

PLEASE PM If you have skills that you feel you could offer to help or give advice for organising this event, as you can imagine, there's lots to do, from health and safety, to signing up runners, recruiting Marshall's, the list is huge and more will be posted as and when.

George will hopefully expand on this, and we will keep you updated along the way on all aspects of this exciting project.







Offline kayakebab

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Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2014, 13:01:39 PM »
Somebody extremely important wants to participate and is unable to do 19th  April.
So the date has now been changed to facilitate this VIP.
The new date is now 12th April 2015.
Mustafa Sikman, Honarary Consul and his colleague Erturk have been so supportive and we have now officially got the go ahead to operate legally under FETAV.

Lots of planning and ideas going on behind the scenes.
Thanks to those who have come forward to volunteer their services.

Offline yabanci

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Re: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2014, 14:38:03 PM »
Is Reg coming down to run Linda??  ;)

Offline kayakebab

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Re: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2014, 15:25:11 PM »
Not quite...

Offline Highlander

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Re: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2014, 17:56:31 PM »
Is it too late to change it to this type of event   :)  :)  :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-28834622

Offline Rimms

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Re: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2014, 18:54:04 PM »
Sorry, I missed this post Linda or would have commented earlier. Turkey is a developing economy which brings it's own set of problems, cancer rates here are on a sharp rise, in fact by this time next year, 176,000 people who feel fit and healthy today will have been diagnosed with the disease. If you just break that down to our area of Fethiye, that will be 200 people who receive what may be life changing and potentially devastating news just in the next 12 months.

 The Turkish ministry of health predict that "unless nothing is done to slow this increase, by 2030 today's rate will double"

So as Linda described, our fun run earlier this year went down pretty well at what was extremely short notice and a very early start time and so the thought was, can we introduce this event to the wider population of Turkey and make it resonate with Turkish citizens?

Following discussions with FETAV, who love the idea, we visited the only cancer doctor available here in the Devlet hospital, I was really alarmed to hear that patients (who can afford it) have to travel to Antalya, Izmir or Istanbul for things like colonoscopy tests, something that's routine and taken for granted in the UK. He then took us into the chemotherapy suite, a grey and depressing looking room and showed us the machine which is used to make the medicine which was described as "old technology" my eye was drawn to one obviously unwell gentleman who was hooked up to his intravenous treatment and his wife was on her knees in front of him holding his hand tightly, I could see her just willing and praying for this last chance treatment to work. So there became our mission to refurbish and hopefully replace the machine so that future patients receive the best possible chance.

Many of us have been involved with some great charity initiatives here, but most are run by expats and by enlarge supported by expats, if we follow the same model then I'm afraid we will fail. Race for Life (Turkey) must be seen as an event for Turkish Citizens where expats are very welcome to join in and not the other way around. To put this in perspective, if we can appeal to just 1% of the population! this will be a huge success.

It's a big task but we are being backed by Fethiye, we have the culture centre and town square as our start and finish point, the police will close roads if required but we have a wonderful course up and back down the Kordon. The event is inclusive and we are welcoming entrants with disabilities to take part, we also have a specialist on our team advising us on how to make the event disability friendly. Our plans are also looking to bring a children's short course event on Saturday April 11th 2015.

The management team are now roughly 50% Turkish and 50% English which is a nice balance, we've a mountain of work to get through but with the talented and motivated set of people we have, I'm sure we will make this happen.

The longer term plan is to make this event successful in Fethiye and then roll out our template to other towns and cities, we've established links with Ege University in Izmir which is a cancer research centre of excellence who we hope will become a major beneficiary of future Race for Life (Turkey) events.

If your interested or want to help out then please let us know, we've got plenty to keep anyone occupied in either helping establish the event or helping on the day as a course Marshall or race ambassador.

Sunday. April 12th 2015 is the date for your diary. Walk it, Run it, Beat it.

Offline kayakebab

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Re: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2014, 08:23:51 AM »
Our Facebook page is now up and running with details of the event on 12.4.15 and will be updated regularly as the event evolves.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Yasamicinyaris/

A new piece of equipment that processes the chemotherapy treatment is desperately needed, as is a comfortable area where family and friends can visit loved ones at such a difficult time.

Please join and share even if you're personally unable to take part.
Thank you.

Offline kayakebab

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Re: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2014, 08:24:54 AM »
Must give big thanks to FETAV for making this possible, their support means we can go ahead with this event and act legally as a charity to collect money.

Offline kayakebab

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Re: Welcome to Race For Life Turkey
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2014, 08:26:41 AM »
And we have our first sponsor!!
Thank you DAMLA who are providing participants with water on the day.

If anyone knows any companies who would like the opportunity to be a sponsor for this event please let George ( Rimms) or myself know.

Offline kayakebab

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