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Over 4,500 runners from 71 countries sprint for cancer in UAE, set world record
This year's run played a strong focus on family support for cancer patients
- PUBLISHED: Mon 2 Feb 2026, 9:25 AM UPDATED: Mon 2 Feb 2026, 9:27 AM
- By:
- Haneen Dajani
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As Kenyan drums echoed across Hudayriyat Island and giant penguin and bear mascots danced alongside runners, thousands gathered early Sunday morning for a cause that went far beyond sport.
More than 4,500 runners from 71 nationalities took part in the Abu Dhabi edition of Cancer Run 2026, successfully surpassing the Guinness World Records minimum requirement of 50 nationalities for the most nationalities participating in a cancer awareness run event.
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But for many on the ground, the most powerful moments were personal. Among them was Dr Sonia Haboub, a cancer survivor who says running helped her survive not just the disease, but the trauma that followed. “Running saved my life — especially mentally,” she told Khaleej Times. “It helped me go through post-trauma, depression, and very difficult moments. Once you lace your shoes and start running, you realise you can overcome anything.”
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'I went for a check-up, and everything changed’
Dr Sonia, now a university professor and CEO of Global Race Connect, was just 25 years old when she went for what she thought was a routine medical check-up in London.
“I went for a normal check-up, and the doctor told me she saw something not normal,” she recalled. “That afternoon, she asked me to come back, and I was told I had early-stage uterine cancer.”
The surgery was scheduled just days later. “I was healthy, I never smoked, never drank. It was shocking,” she said. “I didn’t even tell my family at first. I went through the surgery alone.”
At the time, she said, cancer was still widely treated as a taboo. “There was not as much awareness as today. People didn’t talk about it openly,” she said. “Especially for women and especially depending on the type of cancer.” Weeks after surgery, she was told she could not swim or train — only walk. “I remember one day I just needed air,” she said.
“So, I jogged a little. One kilometre, two kilometres. That oxygen — mentally — changed everything. Since then, I never stopped running.”
Running together, not racing alone
On Sunday, Dr Sonia chose to run the 3km category, deliberately staying with children and young girls. “My aim was to run with them, jog with them, and take it easy,” she said. “It’s about being together.”
Running alongside her was her partner, Mungai Kirogoi, a Kenyan long-distance runner and co-founder of Swara Elite Running Club, who finished on the podium in the 10km race.
Kirogoi’s own running journey began during Covid-19. “I was 85kg and not running at all,” he said. “A friend from Kenya kept pushing me to try. I thought he would kill me in two kilometres.” But running changed his life too.
“I dropped to 65kg, changed my lifestyle completely,” he said. “What keeps me going is the community. When you run and see people from different backgrounds together, it’s different.” Looking around at thousands of runners, he added: “This is the biggest crowd I’ve seen since I started running. The energy, the music, the positivity — it was the best.”
‘Cancer affects families, not just patients’
The run was organised by Plan B Group and presented by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, with a strong focus this year on family support for cancer patients. “This is not just about the patient,” said Dr Harmeek Singh, Founder and Chairman of Plan B Group. “Cancer affects families, friends, and everyone around them.”
His own motivation is deeply personal. “My mother had cancer. It was early detection, and she’s still with us 18 years later,” he said. “That phase changed my life. This platform is about making the voice stronger together.”
Dr Singh stressed that while cures are advancing, early detection remains critical. “If we cannot have a cure for everything, then early detection and awareness are what save lives,” he said. “Annual check-ups are essential.”
Why 71 nationalities mattered
For Dr Stephen Grobmyer, Institute Chief of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Cancer Institute, the diversity of the run reflected both the UAE — and cancer itself. “One of the great things about living in the UAE is the diversity,” he said. “Cancer affects people of all nationalities, and it’s important that we celebrate that diversity while supporting patients and their families.”
He said this year’s run had more energy than ever. “There’s no question — more runners, more excitement,” he said. “And Abu Dhabi is a place where, if we put our minds to something, we can accomplish it.”
Guinness World Records
The achievement was verified on-site by Hanane Spiers, official adjudicator at Guinness World Records, who personally checked participants’ identities. “The record is for the most nationalities in a cancer awareness run event,” she explained. “There was no previous record, so we set a minimum requirement of 50 nationalities.”
While organisers had expected 78, only verified participants count. “We had to physically check IDs,” she said. “After verification, the official number was 71 nationalities.”
She called the event one of her favourites. “I love records that bring people together,” she said. “Community-based records like this, especially for cancer awareness, are the pinnacle of record-breaking.”
As balloons floated above the finish line and families danced to live DJs and Kenyan drummers, Dr Sonia reflected on what the morning meant — not just for survivors, but for those standing beside them. “Sometimes it’s even harder for the people around us than for the person who had cancer,” she said. “The trauma stays.”
Looking at the crowd, she added: “When you see thousands running for this, it gives you a sense of security. It reminds you that you’re not alone.” And for her, that may be the most powerful record of all.
