“Golden September”, the international month for raising awareness about childhood cancer, is also celebrated in our country with various activities. For the third year in a row, the “Heart for Children with Cancer” association organized the “Golden Circle” race in Visoko. Even the heavy rain did not hinder several thousand citizens of our country who ran or walked in the city of Visoko, in the desire to remind the public about children with cancer and collect money for their treatment.
Even though they are competing, who wins Voice-over is of the least importance.
Fikret Kubat, director of the “Heart for Children with Cancer” Association: “The goal of the race is to raise awareness, but also to do a fund raising, which we will later use for our activities during the year”.
Amra Dzeko, ambassador of the “Heart for Children with Cancer” Association: “Our little heroes and their parents especially need our help and support to know that they are not alone in this fight for life”.
Why the race is run through the streets of this city, the reason is the golden boy of Visoca, Afan Habibović. Although young, he has a long fight behind him. He overcame a vicious tumor on his cerebellum and dedicated his life to children who are going through the same thing as him. In addition, he studies physiotherapy and sells quail eggs that he himself used during treatment.
Afan Habibovic, initiator of the “Golden Circle” race: “For all the children who are struggling, to encourage them, to give them hope, to not give up, to show them that we are all strong”. There are many problems for more than 100 children who fall ill with malignant diseases in our country every year. In addition to the problem of availability of medicines, the most pressing problem now is related to parents – getting sick during the treatment of children.
Atifa Budlic-Besic, spokesperson for the Association “Heart for Children with Cancer”
“Treatment lasts on average between six months and a year or more… We know the law related to sick leave, currently parents have the right to 42 days, we are asking and there is now an initiative in the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to abolish mandatory attendance at commissions and to sick leave shall be for the duration of intensive hospital treatment”.
What adorns sick children and their parents is perseverance – this race and the golden smiles of children who were forced by life to grow up too quickly are an indication that even if the system fails, society as a whole will not, BHRT writes.
Photo: Elma Sut/BHRT
