Speaker Anita Among has urged Ugandans of goodwill to contribute generously and participate in the upcoming 15th Edition of the Rotary Cancer Run.
While officially launching this year's Cancer Run at Nsambya Hospital on Friday, 27 February 2026, Speaker Among said the cancer surge in Uganda requires a collective effort from corporate bodies, citizens and well-wishers.
According to the Speaker, cancer remains a significant and rapidly rising public health burden with approximately 34,000–36,000 new cases and 23,000–25,000 deaths annually.
"The decision by Rotary to contribute to the fight against cancer is a noble one. I call upon Ugandans to participate in the 15th Edition of the Rotary Cancer Run...Let us run to restore hope for our people," she said as she symbolically sounded the drums to rally Ugandans to participate in the run.
The 2026 Cancer Run is scheduled for 30 August 2026 starting at the Kololo Independence Grounds under the theme "Gwanga Mujje" with the aim to complete the cancer treatment centre at Nsambya Hospital.
The centre will have bunkers housing the Linear Accelerator Machines, advanced radiotherapy technology that offers affordable, world-class cancer treatment with minimal side effects.
Speaker Among said President Yoweri Museveni is in full support of the charity event and to demonstrate his support, the President through Parliament has contributed Shs3 billion towards this year's cancer run.
Every year, Parliament contributes towards the Rotary cancer programme and from 2012 to date, the institution alone has contributed a total of Shs7.2 billion.
"So as leaders and concerned citizens, it is our responsibility to join hands and help. Let us continue giving back to our people through corporate social responsibility," Among said.
Dr. Gilbert Tumwine, the Director Clinical Services at Nsambya Hospital, and representative of the Executive Director commended Rotary's partnership with different corporate entities to ensure that the hospital has a functional cancer centre.
"We are proud that when cancer requires treatment with drugs or surgery, the surgeons are available and the medicine can be purchased. But when it comes to radiotherapy then that is when we meet challenges," Dr. Tumwine said.
He said international standards require at least one radiotherapy machine per 1 million people.
"Now with 45 million people, with three machines at Uganda Cancer Institute and two planned at Nsambya Hospital, we still remain about 40 machines short and this underscores the scale of the challenge at hand," he added.
The Chairperson of the 2026 Rotary Cancer Run, Meddie Lutaaya said the campaign is ambitiously targeting to raise Shs5 billion with an expected participation of 100,000 runners.
Since the first Cancer Run in 2012, the programme has delivered lasting impact, including the construction of a 36-bed cancer treatment centre at Nsambya Hospital valued at over Shs1.5 billion and the establishment of the Rotary Blood Bank at Mengo Hospital.
In 2022, construction of the foundation of the bunkers started and works are still ongoing.
Once the Nsambya facility is completed, the long term vision is to establish five regional cancer centres across Uganda, with Nsambya serving as the national referral hub so that cancer care is brought closer to the people.
