Marathon runs up cash record for charities

(The Standard P.14  19 Apr 2013)The recent Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon raised a record HK$6.6 million, with the highest individual fund- raiser reaping HK$300,000.

 

 

More than HK$2 million was raised online.

 

 

The money was distributed yesterday to the ORBIS saving eyesight worldwide group, the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (香港殘疾人奧委會暨傷殘人士體育協會), and the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society (香港防癌會).

 

"We are very touched and happy. Eye problems are faced by more than 6.6 million in the mainland and this money can go to towards the treatment of many patients in places such as Yunnan (雲南), Sichuan (四川) and Shanghai," said ORBIS director of development Mary Lau who received a HK$2,150,968 cheque from the bank.

 

Patricia Chu Yeung Pak-yu, chairman of the Anti-Cancer Society, expressed her heartfelt gratitude (衷心的感謝) towards those who have donated.

 

"This means we can subsidize (資助) patients who do not have enough for medical treatment, and also to support the families of patients who are going through the ordeal with them," said Chu, as she received HK$2,407,255.

 

The paralympic committee received HK$2,048,584.

 

The top fund-raisers were Eric Cheung and his son, Ezmond, who raised a combined (相加的) HK$500,000.

 

They took part in the February 24 event - which has the motto Run for a Reason (從心出發，跑出信念)- in the memory of a loving wife and mother who was claimed by cancer.

Jeraldine Phneah