Staff from Unique Vacations UK, Sandals & Beaches Resorts’ sales and marketing representatives, have pledged to run 100km around the island of Antigua to raise £100,000 for sick children in the Caribbean.
A team of eight from the Company’s UK and European offices are running back-to-back half marathons over four days, 11 – 14 October 2023, to raise money for the Sandals Foundation, Sandals Resorts International’s philanthropic arm.
All donations from The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will go to the SickKids Caribbean Initiative and the Paediatric Unit of Mount St. John’s Medical Centre in Antigua to fund medical equipment and resources to help treat sick children in the Caribbean.
Graeme Saunders, senior manager, of Groups & MICE, for Unique Vacations UK, says: “Our goal is to raise £100k (USD $127k) but we hope to smash that, thanks to the support of our sponsors and partners. What better place to push ourselves and raise money for Caribbean communities than on the beautiful island of Antigua?”
The charities
The SickKids Caribbean Initiative (SCI) is on a mission to improve the lives of children diagnosed with paediatric cancer and blood disorders. By connecting Caribbean doctors and nurses to the world, the Sandals Foundation will help them make an even bigger difference for those who need it the most.
The collaboration between SCI and the Sandals Foundation has helped establish the Eastern Caribbean’s only oncology unit, as well as the development of seven telemedicine facilities in six countries. It has also helped fund the training of five Caribbean paediatricians and 41 nurses in haematology and oncology, as well as data collection of children with sickle cell disease and cancer. Funds raised from the Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will be donated to the SCI endowment fund, ensuring the continued sustainability of the initiative, benefitting many for years to come.
The Paediatric Unit at Mount St. John’s Medical Centre in Antigua is the only acute care facility on the island which offers 24-hour emergency care. With over 1,500 admissions since 2015, the Sandals Foundation’s donation of two Comprehensive Infant Care Centres and other medical equipment has aided the success of the neonatal department’s service.
The proceeds from The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will be used to purchase much-needed medical equipment, giving newborns a better chance of survival.
Each leg will be split into roughly 25 kilometres, more than the length of a half marathon, and will cover different parts of the island each day. The team will also be visiting projects sponsored by the Sandals Foundation at the end of each day, including The Paediatric Unit at Mount St. John’s Medical Centre, to see firsthand what a difference the money raised will make to children and their families.
For more information about The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 and to donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/islandrun.
