"Cancer is an orphan disease of research which, however, is the leading cause of infant mortality in children in developed countries," said Marta Lipuzcoa, from Niños Contra el Cáncer. She emphasized this during the presentation of the I degree program Niños Contra el Cáncer, organized by the Sports Service of the University of Navarra, which will take place next Sunday, February 12.

Marta Lipuzcoa recalled that initiatives such as these are of "vital importance because there are very few public funds dedicated to research for childhood tumors".

With this solidarity cross the University of Navarra will try to "raise funds for the oncological treatments of children in the University of Navarra and will raise awareness of the Foundation among the university community and the general population," said Tomás Gómez-Acebo, . Clínica Universidad de Navarra and will raise awareness of the Foundation's work among the university community and the general public," said Tomás Gómez-Acebo, Vice President Alumni. Also, the degree program will be a focus to get new volunteers for this charity, which will have the financial aid of Tantaka and Asvona in the degree program.

Javier Trigo, director of Sports Service, recalled the commitment of the University in the fight against this disease and pointed out that this is a degree program open to the university community, citizens of Pamplona and region, and flexible for all ages.

Sara Jiménez, communication director of Decathlon, and Miguel Bermejo, president of the Ardoi Athletics Club, have expressed their pride and gratitude for being able to collaborate in the organization. "It will be a very familiar event in which if we all join together we can show that it is possible to do great things in the fight against cancer," Bermejo recalled. The solidarity cross will also have the support of other collaborators such as Diario de Navarra, Caixabank, project Sendo, Nordisven, Red Cross or BM.

Throughout the 2015-16 academic year , Niños Contra el Cáncer has collaborated with the treatments of 9 children, allocating a total of 169,273 euros for this purpose. "We seek to help families with insufficient resources so that they can have access to specific treatments and we support the work of the laboratory of 'Advanced Therapy in Childhood Solid Tumors'," Lipuzcoa recalled about this project of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, founded in 1982.

Tour and registration

"We have prepared a route in an incomparable framework . It is a very accessible circuit for everyone, a green environment in which there are plenty of straights and downhill slopes," said Bermejo about the cross that will take place on the morning of Sunday 12 in the campus of the University, with a foray through the new Azpilagaña park, which connects the two universities along the Sadar River.

The degree program is open to people of any age and will have a course of 10,000 meters, for those over 14 years old; 5,000 meters, for those over 14 years old; and 1,000-500 meters, for the younger ones. The submission bibs and starting point will be located at sports center of the University.

Registrations can be made through the web. Also, there is available row 0 for those who can not run but wish to participate. Attendees will receive an official race bib, the degree program T-shirt, gifts from collaborating companies and will participate in a raffle at the end of the degree program.