Hundreds take part in Charlie Mugga Cancer Run in Jinja

Hundreds of Jinja residents have participated in the Charlie Mugga cancer run in Jinja City to raise funds to support Nalufenya Children’s Hospital.

The runners competed in the 5km category in Jinja City on Saturday. Jinja Regional Referral Hospital director, Dr. Alfred Yayi who was accompanied by Agnes Chandia Baku the commissioner in charge of nursing and midwifery in the Ministry of Health, and Charlie Mugga a cancer survivor, flagged off the run at Jinja Golf Club.  

The 1st edition of the run was organised by Charlie Mugga Teenage Cancer Initiative (CMTCI) in partnership with the Uganda-UK Health Alliance and The Uganda Cancer Institute. It was also aimed at creating awareness for Hodgkin Lymphoma type of cancer. 

Jinja Regional Referral Hospital Director Dr. Alfred Yayi (2nd R) and Agnes Chandia Baku (R) the commissioner in charge of nursing and midwifery in the Ministry of Health doing drills before flagging off the run. Photo by Donald Kiirya

Before being flagged off, runners engaged in a drill session where they did all sorts of warm-up exercises with the sound of loud fast playing music in the background.

Runners started competing from Jinja Golf Club and went via Mainstreet, Clive Rd West, Bax Road, Victoria Close, Nile Crescent, and back to the finishing point at Jinja Golf Club. 

Speaking after the run Dr. Yayi decried the increasing cases of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) mainly cancers in children and teenagers in Busoga region and Uganda at large. 

He called for the establishment of cancer centres at different regional referral hospitals in the Country. 

Dr Alfred Yayi added that the main types of cancers are Leukaemia (blood cancer), lymphomas, kidneys, muscles, and skin cancers among others, and called for a unified effort to fight them. 

Athletees competing in the Charlie Mugga Cancer Run in Jinja City. Photo by Donald Kiirya

Agnes Chandia Baku the commissioner in charge of nursing and midwifery in the Ministry of Health urged the youth to always carry out medical tests to know their status. 

Chandia explained that the disease partner of the country has changed with NCDs going high over the infectious ones which have now become part of our daily lives. 

Nancy Kitaka and her son Charlie Mugga the founders of the annual cancer initiative said the marathon was aimed at supporting Nalufenya Children’s Hospital after a tour where they found it in a sorry state. 

Kitaka narrated that her son, Charlie Mugga, was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma at the age of 9 years adding that he (Mugga) was at the age where he was starting to discover himself. 

She added that proceeds from the run will be used to purchase a data processing computer, television sets for the ward, beds, and mattresses, and work on paintings of the buildings and toilet facilities. 

Edgar Rujumba the Magic President Rotary Club of Jinja City and also secretary of Jinja Golf Club urged organisers of the cancer run to bring more corporate sports activities on board like golf tournaments to attract more funding and support towards the initiative.