Posted on: 29 October 2004
This year’s Students’ National 10K Walk will take place on Thursday 18 November, starting at 1 pm from Trinity College’s Front Square. Set up five years ago to raise funds for the children of post-Chernobyl Belarus, the10k walk is the only national student-run charity event in the world. “Since the Chernobyl Belarus nuclear disaster in 1986, a disproportionate number of children there are born with severe birth defects, and the rates of childhood cancers are incredibly high,” stated Ruth Ní Eidhin, Deputy President of TCD Students’ Union, who visited Belarus last month and witnessed the effects first hand. “Most of these children end up in institutions for the duration of their often short lives and some suffer from a condition known as Chernobyl Aids which is a total break down of the immune system.” Bellarussian Minister, Irina Alexanova, who met with student representatives when they visited Belarus in early October this year, will travel to Ireland to take part in the walk as one of her first official engagements of her new appointment. For students wishing to take part, sponsorship cards are available from the Students’ Union Office, House No 6 on Front Square and from stands in the Arts Block and Hamilton Building. Alternatively, the event may be supported by making a donation or by sponsoring a participant. For further information please contact Ruth Ní Eidhin at [email protected] or visit http://www.10kwalk.com
