The 19th staging of the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run raised a record JMD $50,537,400 on Sunday, February 19 for 2017 Beneficiaries; the Bethlehem Home for Abandoned Children and Babies, Spanish Town Hospital Special Care Unit and the Mandeville Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Ingrid Card, Vice President, Group Marketing at Sagicor Group Jamaica Ltd says the record funds raised was due to the help of Jamaicans local and abroad, participants, sponsors, volunteers and donors who all contributed to cause.

“Sagicor is grateful for the support we received for these beneficiaries. It is amazing that each year we set new targets and Jamaicans local and internationally see it fit to rally around the cause so that we can provide critical funding toward the operations and equipment attainment of our Beneficiaries. Several lives will be impacted and saved thanks to funds we have raised here today, and that is the ultimate target of the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run,” said Card.

The Sigma Run has now raised approximately JMD$250 million for child and health care facilities in Jamaica over the last 19 years.

Gregory Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of the Spanish Town Hospital, one of the Beneficiaries of the 2017 Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run, was thrilled with the level of support.

“We are elated. What we have come here today and seen, I can’t describe it in words. The support we have witnessed from corporate Jamaica and individuals in aid of this is overwhelming, even our own staff got involved to a great extent with over 400 staff coming out to run or volunteer today. The financial boost that this will give us to purchase vital equipment such as ventilators, incubators and warmers will be of tremendous aid to our ability to provide quality care. Spanish Town is only second to Victoria Jubilee in the amount of births per year we see at the hospital with between 5000 and 6000 births per year and of that about 20-25% is premature births, hence this equipment is vital in trying to give these babies a chance at a normal development, growth and life,” said Thomas.

The Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run also maintains its rank as the largest 5k road race in the Caribbean with a record 25,320 participants registered for the 19th staging of one of the largest charitable movements locally.

Spanish Town Hospital won the award for the largest corporate team, comprising of 428 participants including 50 doctors. Gerold Palmer of Dunns Electrical and Lighting took the executive management run award; while the corporate run male team award was presented to Jewel Resorts/Hilton Rose Hall; with the female corporate Run team title going to Ministry of Industry Commerce and Fisheries. Oshane Archibald won the overall title in the male 5K Run, while Juliette Dinnal secured the female equivalent on the day.

Stewarts Auto was awarded the prize for the best Sigma Run Team Shirt competition.

About Sigma Corporate Run

The “Sagicor SIGMA Corporate Run” is a 5K (3.4 mile) Run, Walk, Wheelchair event that began in 1999 in Downtown Kingston at Breezy Castle with a target of $500,000 for the Jamaica Foundation for Cardiac Disease. Held under the theme “Straight from the Heart”, the first staging saw 279 finishers. The Sagicor SIGMA Corporate Run is now held annually at Emancipation Park and has become the Caribbean’s largest 5K road race.

Over $200 Million in funds have been raised in the past 19 years to purchase essential equipment for charities such as Sophie’s Place & Mustard Seed Communities, The University Hospital Labour Ward, Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, The Renal Units of the Cornwall Regional, University Hospital and Kingston Public Hospitals, Victoria Jubilee Hospital’s Neo Natal Care Unit and the Cornwall Regional Hospital just to name a few. On February 21, 2016 nearly 24,000 persons ran, walked and wheeled through New Kingston to raise over $35 Million in cash under the for children living with cancer across Jamaica, the Jamaica Cancer Society and the Black River Hospital Paediatric Unit.