Sunday Times 2
Trail 2016 all set to begin on October 6
View(s):By Minushi Perera
Trail was initiated by Nathan Sivagananathan and Sarinda Unamboowe, co-founders of the project together with the Colours of Courage Trust in 2011 in an effort to bring communities across Sri Lanka together and collectively drive the nation’s fight against cancer.
Mahela Jayawardena with Nathan Sivagananathan and Sarinda Unamboowe
This year the ‘Trail’ walk will begin from Point Pedro in Jaffna on October 6 and end in November 2 at Dondra. The walk aims to raise USD 10 million for the expansion of the Cancer Treatment Centre in the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.
Trail walkers will follow a 670km route divided into 28 days and nine zones. Each day’s walk will cover approximately 25 km and will begin and end with a ceremony of participant recognition. Walkers for ‘Trail 2016’ can commit to walk the whole distance, part of the way or become a virtual walker depending on their ability.
Throughout the walk, water will be available along the route every 5 km, food will be provided at the starting point as well as every 10km, 15km, 20km and finishing points. Security will be provided for walkers along the route while ambulances from project 1990 and St. John Ambulance will be on hand in case of an emergency.
“When we are born, we are not given the chance to select the family we are born to, we can be born to a Buddhist family, a Tamil family, a Muslim family, a Burger family, a rich or poor family. But whichever the family we are born to, one thing we can select is to be humane and to help another person. If people choose that we can go so much further as Sri Lankans and as a nation,” said brand ambassador for Trail 2016, former Sri Lankan cricket captain Mahela Jayawardena who will be one of the walkers.
MAS Holdings has come on board for the Trail walk as a Platinum Sponsor with a pledge of USD 100,000, whilst the Royal College Union (RCU) has pledged to raise Rs. 50 million becoming two of the largest contributors towards the project to date.
Members of the public can donate to the cause viaDiolog SMS, Star Points, eZ cash or at their official website www.trailsl.com or make a direct deposit to Colours of Courage Trust (Guarantee) Limited, Account Number 00301049171, Hatton National Bank (SWIFT CODE – HBLILKLX)
For more information log in to trailsl.com or facebook.com/TrailSL. They are also on other social media platforms, Twitter:@TrailSL, Instagram: @trail_sl and Snapchat: @trailsl