Race for the Cure in Ukraine: how charity races are becoming part of our culture

in 1983, the first Race for the Cure charity race in support of women with breast cancer took place in Dallas, USA. At that time, it gathered 800 participants. However, the idea of combining running and charity has successfully taken root, and now Race for the Cure (RFTC) is one of the most popular charity races in the world. They are held in more than 60 countries, reaching more than 1 million participants annually.

On the eve of this year's race, I thought about how RFTC is helping to change the culture of charity and support in Ukraine.

For Ukraine, raising funds through running events is not a new concept. One of the most famous sports and charity events in Ukraine, the Chestnut Run, has been running since 1993. So for us at the Foundation, charity races have been a long-standing dream. Unfortunately, due to other urgent activities, this idea had to be constantly postponed .

Until in 2021, we were approached by Natalia Verevkina, a chemotherapist at the National Cancer Institute. She represented Think Pink Ukraine, the organization responsible for Race for the Cure in Ukraine. Having organized the first race in Ukraine, Natalia suggested that we take over this initiative and bring it to a new level. We did not hesitate and in 2021, despite the covid restrictions, we organized the first Race for the Cure on behalf of Inspiration Family .

Why people run for charity

I am convinced that the secret of the popularity of charity races is in collective action. This is when you do something useful with strangers. You make an important contribution and show your solidarity with a problem in a circle of like-minded people. This kind of energy is very inspiring. For example, going to concerts is not the same as dancing at home to your favorite music.

In our races, there were teams in a variety of pink costumes, families with children, doctors, patients, military personnel, and just people who saw the race and expressed their support. This is the moment when a serious topic – cancer – becomes part of a common, open space where there is support and acceptance.

In Ukraine, the culture of charity races is not yet so widespread

Despite more than 100,000 cancer diagnoses in Ukraine every year, the topic of cancer is still complex and sometimes even taboo in society. We are working on this and, of course, we see changes in people's minds. But for races dedicated to supporting cancer patients, gathering people is still an asterisked task.

We saw that at first, the RFTC was mostly joined by those who had already had an experience with cancer, either their own or their loved ones'. And this is normal. But our goal is to ensure that support from society does not depend solely on personal history. We want to form a culture of solidarity and support, as it is in other countries.

What we do for this:

• We are working to reduce the fatality rate around the topic of cancer, so that cancer is not perceived as a sentence. This requires a lot of daily work to raise awareness.

• We encourage people to talk, support and register, even if they do not have a personal history of cancer. For example, this year we will engage running clubs more actively.

• Using people's personal stories, we are creating a culture of charity where help is not only about money, but also about collective emotional support.

We are inspired by the example of Italy, where in 25 years the Race for the Cure has grown to an event with thousands of participants. Last year, it gathered 150,000 participants in Rome alone. We would like to reach this level in Ukraine as well, because each registration for the race converts into such important funds for the treatment of women with breast cancer.

What stops people

There are barriers – emotional and physical. When a person is in the process of treatment, there is often no resource to be among the crowd. It may seem that you are "superfluous", that it is not the right time to rejoice. But when a person joins for the first time, they begin to feel the power of the community, inspiration and resources. This is what changes the attitude to life after diagnosis. We see how people who did not plan to come at first, later thank us: "It was important. I felt I was not alone.".

We live in exhausting times, but I am convinced that such events are also about supporting ourselves. They allow us to switch gears for a few hours, to feel the joy and power of the community. It is a supportive space where everyone can be useful and find a resource for themselves .

Our mission is not just to organize another race. We want to develop a culture: running, charity, and a culture of support for cancer patients. And the money raised at the races, the inspired faces of the participants, and the uplifting atmosphere confirm that every step counts.