Students and athletes unite for marathon supporting breast cancer patients

BAGHDAD — Students from Al-Farahidi and Al-Israa Universities joined a marathon organized by Iraq’s Ministry of Youth and Sports in Baghdad, which featured three international athletes with disabilities. Held to mark the International Week of Science and Peace, the event also aimed to support breast cancer patients. Participants ran with messages of resilience, including, “Disability is not in the spirit.”

Hadeel Hilal, an international athlete with a disability, expressed pride in participating. “It’s a great honor to join events like this and connect with my community,” she told 964media. “I’ve participated in several international competitions, earning multiple medals. I hope for support from the ministry, the sports federation, and the Prime Minister to achieve more.”

Fatima Al-Zahraa, Director of the Women’s Affairs Department at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, highlighted the event’s significance. “As part of the International Week of Science and Peace, we organized this marathon with participation from ministry staff and students from Al-Farahidi and Al-Israa Universities,” she said. “The event included prize distributions for the winners.”

Sarah Majid, a lecturer at Al-Israa University, praised her students’ involvement. “One of our students secured first place in this wonderful marathon,” Majid told 964media. “Through this event, we aimed to show our support for breast cancer patients. We hope to see more initiatives like this to support young people and the broader sports community.”