University staff, students and alumni great run raises thousands for cancer research

A team of ten University of Birmingham staff, students and alumni completed the 13.1 mile Bupa Great Birmingham Run this weekend, raising more than £4,200 for cancer research taking place at the University.

Staff from the University’s Medical School, the School of Dentistry, and the Development and Alumni Relations Office ran the half-marathon course alongside several students and alumni, and former world marathon record-holder and honorary University of Birmingham graduate, Haile Gebrselassie , who beat 15,000 other competitors to win the race.

Runner and Annual Giving Officer at the University’s Development and Alumni Relations Office, Laura Clark comments: “We are thrilled to have been able to raise so much money for the University’s life-saving cancer research. Knowing that the money raised by the team is going directly to the researchers making significant advances in the fight against this disease kept us all going, and made the achievement at the end feel even more worthwhile.”

Alumnus Simon Fairbanks, an English graduate who also completed the race for the University adds: “The Great Run was the perfect opportunity to give something back to the University. It was so much fun and I met some great people. It was even better knowing that the money raised would be benefitting the University's cancer research team. I hope to see everyone again for the 2012 half-marathon.”

This achievement is part of a wider fundraising effort across the University, where staff have already raised money for brain injury research with a cake and book sale; and for cancer research by crossing the Scottish Highlands on foot, bike and kayak.

To find out more about fundraising for the University of Birmingham, please visit: http://www.justgiving.com/universityofbirmingham

For more information, please contact Amy Cory, University of Birmingham Press Office, via 0121 414 6029 or a.cory@bham.ac.uk.