In 2014, as many as 21,434 new Croatian patients had been diagnosed with malignant diseases. Of them 11,389 were men and 10,045 women. In the cohort of female patients, breast cancer ranked first (2,644 new cases inn 2014).
The Terry Fox Run is an annual charity event held to raise funds for cancer research and in Croatia it has been held in September for the past 17 years.
Last year, the event at Zagreb's Jarun Lake brought together more than 7,000 Zagreb residents who supported the race by running, rollerblading, walking, cycling or buying t-shirts.
By launching the Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run in Canada in 1980, Terry Fox wanted to raise money for cancer research. Even though he was aware that it would probably not help him, he believed that one day a cure would be found for people with a similar diagnosis.
The bone cancer - osteosarcoma - to which he lost a leg and later died of is today treatable in more than 80% of cases, so the importance of investing in research and the contribution of Terry Fox Run drives across the world is more than visible.
To honour the young man, his family decided to launch a humanitarian event to raise money for cancer research, which is held every year across Canada. The race is also organised by Canadian embassies in 67 countries, including Croatia.