The 7EmiratesRun team successfully completed its 575km charity run across the seven emirates in time for National Day celebrations at Dubai Festival City, raising more than AED1 million for Al Jalila Foundation. 7EmiratesRun is under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council. It was endorsed by Dubai Sports Council as an official event on Dubai’s sports calendar, with Buimerc Corporation as the title sponsor.

The UAE’s only cross-country charity run, which commenced from Abu Dhabi on 21 November, drew support from fellow runners, parents, children and students from across the UAE and raised ten times more in donations than last year, far exceeding its original target. The AED1 million raised will go to Al Jalila Foundation’s A’awen fund, which helps patients in the UAE with critical health conditions who cannot afford medical treatment.

Last year Dubai-based runners traversed the seven emirates to raise funds so Mohammed Ayoub, a Sharjah toddler suffering from limb deformities, could get back on his feet. A total of AED 100,000 was raised to fund his surgeries and post-operative care. Today, he is able to walk with prosthetic support. Mohammed and his parents joined the 7EmiratesRun team today at the start line of the last leg from Sharjah to Dubai, in which more than 55 runners participated including male and female Emiratis.

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said:

“We congratulate the 7EmiratesRun team on the great success this year’s run has achieved. The level of support from communities and donors across the country was beyond expectation. The money raised for our A’awen fund will be fully dedicated to supporting children with walking disabilities, for a chance to live better and more productive lives. We thank all the sponsors and supporting organisations, donors, volunteers and the 7EmiratesRun team for a unique event celebrating health and philanthropy.”

“As a local foundation entrusted with the development of the UAE’s healthcare sector through medical education and research, Al Jalila Foundation takes this opportunity to extend its warmest wishes on the occasion of the UAE’s 43rd National Day to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, their brothers, Their Highnesses members of the UAE Federal Supreme Council, and to the whole UAE community.”

Race Director, Wendelin Lauxen, who is also Managing Director of DHCC-based German Limbtech, said:

“We ran further than the distance between Paris and London, we traversed desert, mountains, passed camels and dhows and we finished! Luckily for us, we have chosen to live in a very beautiful country with a diverse landscape and this epic run is a tribute to the land we each call home.

“I am so proud of our team and all of the UAE for spurring us on – without them I am not sure we would have achieved this for a second time. This year we were joined by an all-ladies relay team and scores of students across the country. At every stage, people around the UAE cheered us on and we are grateful. Thank you and here’s to next year – bigger, better and healthier.”

Major sponsors of the 7EmiratesRun include Dubai Healthcare City, German Limbtech, Damas, Total and Paris Gallery.

Dubai, UAE, 24 April 2014 – Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research, today hosted Destination Medicine, an interactive student conference to inspire 400 Emirati students to pursue a career in medicine.

• Student conference welcomes keynote speaker, Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, leading international heart surgeon
• Destination Medicine brings together students from 20 private and government schools; 15 medical facilities across DHCC specialities welcome students

Emirati students from grade nine to 12 from both private and government schools had the opportunity to meet keynote speaker and award-winning international heart surgeon, Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub. Sir Magdi, who has established the largest heart and lung transplantation programme in the world where more than 2,500 transplant operations have been performed, shared his inspirational journey with the students.

The conference took place at the Mohamed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre, in Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), a health and wellness destination that brings together a wealth of services in healthcare, medical education and research, and was attended by representatives of UAE schools and universities, as well as DHCC business partners and officials from Al Jalila Foundation and DHCC.

As part of the mentoring programme, students toured 15 DHCC medical facilities covering a range of specialities; students interacted with healthcare professionals – through workshops and activities – to gain insight into the demands of the medical profession.

Her Excellency Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Member of the Board of Trustees of Al Jalila Foundation, said:

“Our visionary leadership continues to pave the way for young Emiratis, not only to study medicine at world-leading organisations, but also to thrive in the sector with the support of local guidance and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Destination Medicine has helped expose the students first-hand to the world of medicine. We hope that it has inspired them to become doctors and have the chance to save lives and give back to their community.”

Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub commented:

“With ambition and determination, the UAE is on the path to be a leader in medical innovation. The opportunities that the UAE has provided its youth are impressive, and I hope that this experience will instil in them a spirit of discovery in medicine. I commend Al Jalila Foundation’s efforts in supporting the local medical talent though grants and scholarships; enabling young minds to transform the future of healthcare in the UAE.”

Addressing Emirati students at the event, Sir Magdi added:

“You are the future of healthcare!”

Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, Chief Executive Officer of Al Jalila Foundation stated:

“Al Jalila Foundation aims to inspire the UAE’s future doctors. Through our post-graduate medical scholarships, the development of the Al Jalila Foundation Research Centre and our fellowship and research grants, we hope to develop a generation of home-grown medical professionals who will lead the nation’s healthcare sector for years to come.”

Marwan Abedin, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Healthcare City, and member of the Board of Directors of Al Jalila Foundation, said,

“To build a sustainable healthcare industry, we require a national workforce – one that is aligned with the regional healthcare challenges and works to address these. In context, welcoming students to an environment like Dubai Healthcare City, which represents healthcare, medical education and research, is an opportunity to encourage young minds to think about a wide choice of career options in medicine.”

Al Jalila Foundation has started receiving applications for its post-graduate medical scholarships programme for the 2014/2015 academic year. The application deadline is 15 August 2014. For more information visit www.aljalilafoundation.ae or e-mail scholarships@aljalilafoundation.ae.

HE Raja Al Gurg:

“The UAE community is mindful of the importance of developing advanced medical research capabilities and the impact of that on the UAE 2021 Vision”

Al Jalila Foundation’s “United in Health” campaign has attracted more than 70,000community supporters over a period of six days, demonstrating an outstanding level of awareness amongst the UAE community of the importance of medical research to the UAE’s sustainable future. The unique “I Love UAE” structure in the Bloomingdale’s Atrium atThe Dubai Mall was covered with thousands of tokens pledging support to the nation’s health and prosperityand supporting medical research.

Her Excellency Raja EasaSaleh Al Gurg, Member of the Board of Trustees and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Al Jalila Foundation, said:

“We are delighted to see this great community support, from locals and residents alike, to the UAE on its 42nd National Day, which has taken on more meaning now with the announcement of the Expo 2020 win, a victory for our visionary leadership and this country. As the world now turns to our nation’s achievements for inspiration, we are proud to be playing a role in building a healthier and more prosperous nation in line with UAE Vision 2021. A significant part of what we do is educating youngsters to instil a culture of medical research at a grass roots level, which is in line with Al Jalila Foundation’s long-term vision.”

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said:

“The support was overwhelming and we were extremely excited to see children and adults from all over descend on our I Love UAE atrium. The campaign has raised over AED2 million to support our medical research projects. The level of support we received from individuals, corporates and educational institutions is an indication of how much the community believes in the ability of advanced medical research to build a healthier and more sustainable nation.We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the campaign, and special thanks to GEMS Education, and Amity University Dubai for their generous support in raising awareness among the youth and extending the reach of our message to over 100,000 students.”

The Varkey GEMS Foundation engaged more than 7000 students from 13 GEMS Education schools in the campaign with a number of them visiting the stand throughout the week. The GEMS schools that went to the stall to tie their messages include The Kindergarten Starters, which sent a delegation of students to pledge on behalf of 5,500 students, GEMS New Millennium School – Al Khail, Our Own English High School – Al Warqa’a and Cambridge International School.

Students from Amity University Dubaivolunteered their timeto sell tokens in the university as well as on the stand.

The ‘United in Health’ campaign was organisedin association with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, and sponsored by Dubai Healthcare City and Paris Gallery. Support sponsors include The Dubai Mall, Watani, Ahmed Seddiqi& Sons and Hills Advertising.

The Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, today officially launched Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose mandate is to promote the UAE as a centre of excellence for medical research and education. Sheikh Mohammed was escorted during the ceremony by his daughter, Sheikha Al Jalila.

The opening ceremony, which took place at Dubai Health Care City, was attended by H.H. Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Mariam bint Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State, and a number of senior officials, medical researchers, donors and philanthropists.

Al Jalila Foundation aims to promote the UAE as a centre of excellence in the field of medical education and research and position Dubai at the forefront of medical innovation. The Foundation will facilitate medical treatment; provide academic scholarships; fund groundbreaking research; champion healthcare awareness programs; foster strategic partnerships with local and global entities and advocate for progressive policies to ensure a sustainable future for Dubai, enhancing its global position as a medical hub.

The Chairperson of the Board of the Directors and Member of the Board of Trustees, Raja Al Gurg, addressed the audience, saying : “Al Jalila Foundation will provide a new catalyst for complementing efforts aimed at building a health society.” With Al Jalila Foundation in action, she added, many doors will open to many medical achievements that could not previously become a tangible reality.

She called for all stakeholders to pool their resources for shaping future of the present and future generations.

”The tremendous efforts we are making today will have far-reaching, positive impact on the health being of children in the region, generation after generation.”

Speaking also at the event, Dr Abdul Kareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of the Foundation, said: ”We have high hopes the Foundation will be instrumental in addressing current health challenges as part of the UAE quest for a better healthy future.” While delivering its mission through an integrated medical system, he added, the Foundation will focus on treatment, education and research.

He said the Foundation will play a vital role in advancing the UAE’s standing as a global premier centre of health care excellence. It will focus mainly on healthcare challenges across the Emirates to support Vision 2021 by developing pioneering ways to combat locally prevalent illnesses through cutting-edge medical research.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, issued a law setting up the Al Jalila Foundation for supporting medical education and research in the emirate.

Law No 10 of 2012 was issued by Shaikh Mohammad on Sunday. The law stipulates that the foundation will be a non-profitable entity that serves as a corporate body enjoying financial and administrative independence with the aim of improving healthcare services by encouraging scientific research in all medical specialisations.

He also issued decree No 23 for 2012, forming the board of trustees of the newly established foundation under the chairmanship of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. The five member board includes Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Abdul Hamid Ahmad Seddiqi, Abdul Gaffar Ghuloum Hussain, Raja Eisa Saleh Al Gurg, and Hussain Abdul Rahman Khan Sahib.

The foundation, headquartered in the Dubai Healthcare City, will help achieve the UAE’s pioneering in the field of medical science by granting scholarships and financing medical research, as well as enhancing excellence in the medical academic and research field in the UAE and abroad.

It will encourage researchers to create and excel in specialised medical fields, guide them towards research of benefit for the society, and contribute to the scientific progress in order to achieve sustainable development for local, regional and international communities.

The foundation will provide financial support for scientific researches in medical areas for educational and research institutions in the UAE and abroad, grant scholarships for Emirati citizens and encourage researchers and research institutions to conduct excellent scientific research by granting them appreciation awards and cash prizes. It will also contribute to financing scientific research, programs and projects dedicated to utilising science, knowledge and technology to tackle problems facing research institutions, as well as providing curative assistance to the needy from various nationalities in the country and abroad.

The foundation will support publishing of scientific magazines and publications, sponsoring scientific conferences organised by education institutions and scientific research institutions in collaboration with Arab, regional and international educational organisations.

To achieve the foundation’s goals, a donation fund will be set up in the newly established foundation with the aim of collecting donations from public and private organisations, as well as individuals inside and outside the emirate, to finance the foundation’s project aiming at supporting education and medical scientific research.

The foundation’s board will set up a fund management committee to oversee the fund’s functions and operations for a renewable term of three years.