José, Álvaro, Jorge, Fran, Franco, and Pepe resolved to run the 42 km of the Zurich Barcelona Marathon. Moreover, doing so in solidarity, raising funds for research into the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) of the IDIBELL and the University Hospital of Bellvitge. Yesterday the six runners visited the facilities and delivered the check for the 7,851 euros to the Neurological and Neurogenetic Diseases research group.
The group of runners, called “Early Birds“, created a challenge on the Mi Grano de Arena platform in which they proposed to collect up to 5,000 euros for ALS research. In exchange, they responded by completing the Marathon.
The challenge has been a complete success, and not only they collected the initial value of 5,000 euros, they have also overcome it. In fact, the Early Birds challenge was the one that raised the most money on the Zurich Marató de Barcelona. For its part, the Zurich Foundation responds to these charitable initiatives by adding 50% of the money raised to each challenge.
The IDIBELL research group and the Bellvitge University Hospital Motor Neuron Unit, led by Dr. Mònica Povedano, help patients and family members to deal with ALS. Also, they carry out research to advance their knowledge and improve the life quality of patients.
The Early Birds are a friends group who train every morning along the Carretera de las Aigües in Barcelona. At 6 am alarm clock rings, and although the reasons to stay in bed are convincing, the reasons to go running are even more. “We believe that our privileges are an obligation. An obligation to give our best every day and an obligation to do what is in our power to help those with more unfavorable circumstances,” declares the runners.
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a biomedical research center created in 2004. It is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).