Runners in action during the Run for Children in Luang Prabang.  (File photo Run for Children)

Run for Children half marathon planned in Luang Prabang

Thousands of runners from Laos and other countries will take part in the 8th Run for Children Luang Prabang Half Marathon, which will take place in the provincial capital on October 30.
The half marathon will comprise men’s and women’s 7, 14 and 21 kilometre races. The courses take in the town’s scenic splendours, including sections alongside the Mekong River.
The event is a fundraiser for the Lao Friends Hospital for Children in Luang Prabang.
This year’s run takes place following a two-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In previous years, as many as 1,900 runners from 42 countries have taken part, with more and more people coming to Luang Prabang each year to support the worthy cause.
This year it is hoped that about 2,000 people will register for the half marathon.
Children in the north of Laos get free treatment at the Lao Friends Hospital for Children, with more than 3,000 youngsters benefitting from the hospital’s services each year.
UNICEF reports that the mortality rate among Lao children is high, with statistics indicating that 45.5 children out of every 1,000 children die before the age of five.
The Lao Friends Hospital for Children, the government and local people are working to ensure the provision of sustainable health services. The hospital also provides training for staff at district hospitals.
Its goal is to improve the standard of health in the northern provinces and to raise the standards of medical staff.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update September 19, 2022)