From left: Alfred Francis, chairman, Jamdammers Running Club, Tanya Miller, vice-president, marketing and new product development, Pan Caribbean Financial Services, Beverley Needham, chief executive officer of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Donovan Perkins, president and CEO, Pan Caribbean Financial Services, and Hugh Lawson, acting CEO, National Health Fund, join hands at the launch of the Pan Caribbean Sigma Corporate Run on Tuesday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Pan Caribbean Financial Services, in collaboration with the National Health Fund, will team up with corporate Jamaica on the roads of Kingston for the 11th staging of the annual Sigma Corporate Run, which will be held on Sunday, March 15.

The Sigma Corporate Run is a five-kilometre (3.1 miles) run and walk event that is open to runners and walkers of all fitness levels.

Helping children

Last year, more than 8,000 participants from 85 corporate companies raced and raised approximately $12.2 million for the renal units of the University Hospital of the West Indies, Cornwall Regional Hospital and the Kingston Public Hospital.

This year, the organisers are taking on an even greater challenge relating to the health and welfare of the nation's children.

For the first time, they have joined hands with Shaggy's Make A Difference Foundation in an attempt to raise $14 million to lift the standard of health care at the Bustamante Children's Hospital and other paediatric wards across the island.

According to Donovan Perkins, president and chief cxecutive officer of Pan Caribbean Financial Services Limited, the Bustamante Hospital must be recognised for the tremendous role it plays in the health care of children in Jamaica and the region.

"We all know what's happening in Jamaica today and so the tougher things get, the more we need to work together to help those whose needs are great, the more we need to work together to help our country," Perkins said.

The CEO was speaking at the official launch of the event at the Sagicor Life building on Tuesday.

Companies are asked to sponsor teams of up to 75 employees by making a contribution of $45,000 to this year's selected charity.

Family, friends and invited guests are allowed to participate by signing up through a participating company.

However, only employees of participating companies qualify for the coveted Corporate Team and Corporate Individual awards.

Beverley Needham, chief executive officer at the Bustamante Hospital for Children is pleased that her hospital was chosen as the primary beneficiary.

"This is indeed a wonderful initiative for health and for Jamaican children," Needham said. "Since the abolition of user fees, our patient load has been steadily increasing and this has put additional pressure on our existing resources. Therefore, it is very timely that the 2009 Sigma Corporate Run is joining forces to gain additional support for the hospital."

Registration Process

More than 65 teams have registered so far with a client's pledge of $200,000. Individuals and non-corporate entities can enter for a fee of $700 per person and students $100.

Registration for corporate teams close on Monday, March 2, and non-corporate teams and individuals Friday, March 6.

The run is scheduled to commence at 7:30 a.m. in front of the Pan Caribbean Building on Knutsford Boulevard and will culminate at Emancipation Park with a programme of events, including an awards ceremony.

Reward categories include wheelchair, individual, corporate, Ultimate Sigma Challenge, Under-16, overall corporate run/walk team, largest corporate team, best T-shirt design, executive management award and perfect roster prizes.