Overview
The FIT For Charity Run 2008 raised a total of nearly JPY 60 million, which was equally divided among ten non-profit organisations. Three of these spoke about their organisation and the support provided by FIT For Charity Run.
For further detail on how the ten 2008 charities used the donated funds, please access our archive.
Carillon Children Center’s Ms. Karin Hirai
Opening of the long-awaited boys’ shelter
With the support of FIT For Charity Run, in March 2009 the Carillon Children Center opened a boys’ shelter, establishing a peaceful living environment with separate facilities for boys and girls.
Our primary goal as an organisation is to offer a retreat providing peace of mind to allow the healing of both spiritual and physical wounds. All of the children have private rooms, to allow them quiet time and space to come to terms with the negative experiences they have suffered through.
The children participated in the FIT For Charity Run and were able to experience a sense of achievement and unity – many for the first time in their lives. This will certainly live on as a pleasant memory of their time at the shelter. Each of these children is now on the way to establishing their lives as responsible and self-reliant members of society.
We sincerely hope that initiatives such as FIT For Charity Run will continue to help those in need.
The Big Issue Japan Foundation’s Ms. Mariko Ikeda
Delegation to the Homeless World Cup
The number of homeless people in Japan has increased sharply in 2009 due to the economic downturn. Hoping to raise awareness of poverty issues worldwide, through the generous support of FIT For Charity Run, the Big Issue Japan Foundation sent a delegation to the Homeless World Cup, held in September 2009 in Milan.
With the donations from FIT For Charity Run, eight Japanese homeless athletes participated in the Milan tournament and we were able to raise awareness of issues surrounding poverty and promote fair play and perseverance. We continue to instil a forward-looking attitude in helping those we help to help themselves.
We were really grateful for the opportunity at the FIT For Charity Run to meet and exchange information with the organising committee members and other charities. It was also great to have a designated place to introduce ourselves to the thousands of participants there on the day. It was this meeting and getting to know people that really made it a memorable event.
Japan Transplant Support Association’s Kazuko Takahashi
Regulatory revision and support for change
After years of consistent lobbying by the Japan Transplant Support Association, in July 2009 Japan’s regulations regarding organ transplant were finally revised and brain death is now recognised as death. This means that sick children in Japan requiring transplant can receive treatment domestically because the families of terminally ill children under 15 years of age can now consent to their child acting as an organ donor.
The reform takes effect in July 2010 and the Association is now focused on supporting its implementation, including through educating stakeholders and supporting the families of patients and donors, as well as patients themselves.
As part of this effort and partially through the funds donated by the FIT For Charity Run, in October 2009 the Japan Transplant Support Association sponsored an event in Yokohama promoting understanding and acceptance of organ transplant.
