A New Version of ‘Corri La Vita’ (Run for Life) Cancer Benefit on Sept. 27
Sunday, September 27: CORRI LA VITA (Run for Life) benefit.
Scheduled during European sports week, the 18th annual Run for Life (Corri La Vita) event stands in solidarity with culture and social networks in promoting and fundraising for projects directly related to the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
After raising an additional $226,512 for the Careggi University Hospital last spring–which was used to fight the COVID-19 health emergency–the 2020 Run for Life will take place while fully complying with safety measures.
The race in years past has gone along pre-established routes, but the initiative will be played in open air in the company of friends and family. The morning will be dedicated to physical activity, coordinated with a live streamed warm-up guided by instructors of the Wellness Firenze Marathon Gym.
Starting at lunchtime, the event will provide an opportunity to visit more than 55 cultural landmarks for free throughout Florence and Tuscany; destinations include Santa Maria Novella, the Ximenes Astrological Observatory Foundation, the Bardini museum, Dante’s House, the Innocenti Museum, the Galileo Science museum, the Gucci Museum, Museo Novecento of 20th and 21st Century Art, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, Stibbert Museum, the Arcetri Astrological Observatory, Palazzo Davanzati Renaissance Home Museum, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Palazzo Strozzi and the Tomas Saraceno “Aria” exhibition, the Synagogue and Jewish Culture Museum, the Archeological areas and Bandini Museum in Fiesole in addition to the Medici villas and the gardens of Castello, Petraia, Poggio a Caiano and Cerreto Guidi. Venues outside Florence comprise museums, gardens and churches in Impruneta, Bagno a Ripoli, Empoli, Gaiole in Chianti, Lastra a Signa, Prato, Pistoia, San Casciano Val di Pesa, Vinci, Certaldo, Gaiole in Chianti, Borgo San Lorenzo and Vicchio. The visits are organized by the Città Nascosta Association; booking is recommended via the Corri La Vita website.
Testimonies can be shared throughout the day at 9:30 am, 12 noon, 3 pm and 6:30 pm through the official Facebook and Instagram pages or under the hashtag #Corrilavitainitalia.
The public can begin supporting the fundraiser by buying the bio-compostable t-shirt signed designed by the Salvatore Ferragamo fashion firm. The t-shirt will allow free access to all of the events locations, while also allowing attendants to skip any lines at the locations as well. The t-shirts can be bought through the Run for Life website. Those who want to support the fundraiser but cannot attend the event can have their shirt sent to their home in Italy. A minimum donation of €10 ($11.33) is required.
The three projects that Run for Life Onlus Association plans to fundraise for– as in the past — include the Oncological Rehabilitation Center (Ce.Ri.On ) of Villa delle Rose in collaboration with LILT Italian League for the Fight Against Cancer Florence and the SenoNetwork Italian onlus that brings together the Italian Breast Units and FILE (free home care for terminally cancer patients and support for their families), the Italian Foundation of Leniterapia.
Again this year, money will also be fundraised for the EVA Project to help women with the aftereffects of cancer and cancer treatments. The promotion and development of the race will be done by the Run for Life Onlus Association in collaboration with the LILT-Italian League for the Fight Against Cancer, Florence section–to support women with cancer and to respect the problems associated with treatments including osteoporosis, fertility, genetics and menopause.
“When I go out, Run for Life is the only time when I walk longer. It is always hard at the beginning, but then every time I come to see a beautiful panorama, which gives meaning to the effort,” says a patient from Villa delle Rose. “In this period at home, and when I go to do the therapies, I often wear one of the colored t-shirts of Corri La Vita (Run for Life) because it makes me think of all the people who participate in the event for me too, to help me on my path as a woman operated for breast cancer….this makes me feel good and makes me feel less alone.”
The t-shirt being provided this year comes in a military green color.
Before the event begins, on September 25 and 26 mammograms and melanoma prevention will be offered to the public at the Piazza della Signoria. An Ispro mobile unit from the Institute for Study, Prevention and Oncological Network will be set up offering mammograms; this service is part of the National Health Service so a ticket must be paid if necessary and a request from a general practitioner will be required to perform it. A camper of the LILT will be set up providing free visits for melanoma prevention. Both of these services require an appointment made beforehand and are subject to availability. Contact the LILT phone at 055-576939 to schedule an appointment.
This annual event began in 2003 thanks to President Bona Frescobaldi and the Run for Life (Corri La Vita) Onlus Association. This non-competitive sporting event has collected and distributed over €6,318,000 ($7,155,514) over the past 17 runs. With 327,300 participants attending in the past, nearly 450,000 women were able to receive quality assistance in their fight against breast cancer.
“In the most difficult year for our country, our commitment remains constant. This ‘special edition’ will allow us to live our traditional appointment in a new way but with the usual goal: to support women in the prevention and fight against breast cancer,” says Bona Frescobaldi, President of Run for Life Onlus Association. “Alongside the COVID-19 crisis, we have to focus more forcefully on all those emergencies that unfortunately represent a constant element in our lives.” (lauren polanski)
