KUWAIT: RunQ8, one of Kuwait'smost prominentcharity sporting events, had yet another successful year with around 1,800 people taking part in the fifth edition of the race. Organized by theFawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute (FSRI), the annual race took place on the morning of November 28th at Marina Crescent.

RunQ8 aims to raise awareness and funds to support the Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), FSRI's non-profit pediatrics facility, providing specialized and multi-disciplinary treatment and support for children with disabilities. The Center provides comprehensive programs that include physical therapy, speech therapy, psychology and occupational therapy.

This year RunQ8 was held in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, in addition to support from RunQ8's founding partner Agility and a number of other major local organizationsthat included, Burgan Bank, Al-Ruwayeh & Partners (ASAR), Diyar United Company (DUC), Openware, JumeriahMessilah Beach Hotel & Spa, Royal Pharmacies, The Athlete's Foot, Al Jarida, Kuwait Times, Good Health Arabia, 6abeeby and Everything Kuwait.

The 10km race proved to be an exciting challenge for the competitive athletes and avid runners amongst the participants, with the fastest runner completing the race in less than 35 minutes. Wendy Ulrich came in first in the women's division, with Abigail Bartholomew and Nadya Mayahi rounding up the top 3 in that category, in second and third place respectively.. Amongst the male participants, Greg Ziembinski nabbed first place followed by Mohammed Abdullah and then Kedir Amino Abdo. As for the youth category, Helga Quint came in first amongst females, with Abdulmohsen Al-Ali placing first amongst the male participants.

However, the race was just as fun and exciting for everyone else who chose to walk, jog or even just stroll to simply take part and show their support for the great cause. Families and friends of participants lent their support by gathering at the RunQ8 race village where an eclectic mix of local vendors and businesses had set up booths, offering snacks, beverages and much more. The race village also featured a number of fun activities throughout the day, including yoga, holistic fitness and a Cross Fit demonstration.

"We continue to be amazed every year by the level of support we seefrom our sponsors, partners, participants and of course the public. We are immensely grateful for every single person who came out today to show their support for such a worthy cause" said Dr Elham Al-Hamdan, President & Medical Director of FSRI. "RunQ8 is more than just a race; it is an important social initiative that aims to not only raise awareness of, but also gather much needed funds to support children's rehabilitation in Kuwait."

All proceeds from the race go towards enabling CERC to continue providing highly specialized quality care to children in Kuwait, who otherwise may not get access to the care they need. Majority of the raised funds from RunQ8 are used to help children and families suffering from financial difficulties, providing them treatment at a subsidized lower cost, or even for free in some cases.

Dr. Elham further added "The money that we have raised in the past through RunQ8 proved crucial towards improving the lives of so many families, helping to provide their children with the life changing treatment they so urgently needed. This is why we continue to organize this race year after year. The support of the local community is vital to us as a non-profit institution, and goes a long way towards helping us carry out our mission to provide specialized care for people across all segments of society."