Thousands of participants, volunteers, and supporters raise millions for people with cancer.
During a festive closing party in Rotterdam on Saturday evening, the Roparun Foundation announced the proceeds of the 35th edition. Thanks to the efforts of thousands of participants, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and supporters, the Roparun raised a sum of €5,045,030.81 for people with cancer.
With the announcement of the final amount, a special anniversary edition of an event that has held a permanent place in Dutch society for 35 years comes to an end. What once began as a sporting challenge has grown into a nationwide movement in which thousands of people dedicate themselves annually to making the lives of people with cancer more bearable. With this final result, the goal set for this 35th edition has been reached.
During the Whitsun weekend, over 5,000 participants, divided into two hundred teams, set off from Enschede and Clastres in France. In a relay format, they covered hundreds of kilometers towards Rotterdam. Along the way, they were supported by hundreds of volunteers and welcomed by thousands of supporters along the route. Villages, cities, associations, entrepreneurs, and residents once again formed the backdrop for an event that has been connecting people around a shared goal for decades.
The finish on Rotterdam’s Coolsingel on Monday formed the emotional highlight of the event. Under the watchful eyes of family members, friends, supporters, and Mayor Carola Schouten, the teams reached the finish line after days of effort. That finish marked not only the end of a sporting achievement but, above all, the result of months of fundraising and preparation.
Director Lesly Wolters looks back with pride on the anniversary edition: “When we arrived at this final result after much deliberation, we were absolutely stunned. We set ourselves a goal of five million euros, but it was certainly an ambitious one. Thirty-five years ago, no one could have imagined that the Roparun would grow into what it is today. This anniversary edition has once again shown how many people are willing to selflessly dedicate themselves to others. Behind this magnificent amount lie thousands of personal stories, months of preparation, countless fundraising activities, and enormous commitment from participants, volunteers, sponsors, and supporters. Thanks to them, we can continue to invest in projects that make the lives of people with cancer and their loved ones more bearable in the coming years. We are incredibly grateful for that.”
More than 150 goals per year
The proceeds from the Roparun are spent on projects that contribute to the quality of life of people with cancer. Every year, the organization supports more than 150 causes and initiatives in the Netherlands. These include hospices, palliative care, wigs, peer support, holidays for people with cancer and their families, and other facilities that contribute to comfort, support, and dignity during a difficult time. At the start of the Roparun two weeks ago, Roparun pledged to donate 20,000 euros to the Kanjerketting, a bead necklace for sick children where each bead represents a treatment, examination, or important event, making their personal story of illness visible.
Roparun also aims to fund all Dutch wish ambulances through 2035. The organization has allocated approximately seven million euros for this purpose. With this, the organization wants to ensure that people can still fulfill a special wish in the final phase of their lives.
All year round
Although the finish on the Coolsingel traditionally forms the visible highlight, Roparun emphasizes that the event is much more than a weekend of running. Throughout the year, teams organize campaigns, events, and sponsorship activities to raise money for the charity. In doing so, Roparun has formed a unique combination of sport, togetherness, and social commitment for 35 years.
With the proceeds from this anniversary edition, the organization is once again taking an important step in its mission to add life to the days, where often no more days can be added to life.
The Roparun is an annual event during Pentecost in which thousands of participants run and cycle in a relay format along two routes through the Netherlands. They finish on the iconic Coolsingel in Rotterdam. The participants raise money to make the lives of people with cancer more bearable, where possible.