Nestlé donated €35,000 to the Nescafé Life Cycle Challenge, supporting a new research programme of kidney disease at the University of Malta with €25,000, and helping the Renal Unit Support Health Hub (RUSH) with €10,000, according to a press release sent to Business Malta.
“Being associated with such a dynamic organisation, we appreciate not only the balance in life through sports, but also the contribution which sports can give to society and especially those in need,” said Giuliana Isolani, Nestlé Country Manager.
“We, at Nestlé, are fully convinced of the supporting role that our most loved coffee brand by the Maltese population, Nescafé, could have in achieving goals for a good cause. May this be only the start of a long journey together,” Ms Isolani added.
The Nescafé 3in1 LifeCycle Challenge 2019 will take 27 cyclists through Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Sponsored by Nestlé’s Nescafé 3in1 for two consecutive years, the challenge will take place between 12 and 21 September. The cyclists and support team will fly from Malta on 9 September and will arrive back home on 24September.
“Simply called Nescafé 3in1 LifeCycle Challenge owing to the three South East Asian countries we are visiting; the cyclists will travel almost 2,000 km in 10 days. The landscape in Vietnam is of rich vegetation and long climbs while in Laos and Cambodia we will see long distances through remote villages, following the Mekong Delta, The finish is at one of the world’s greatest wonders, the iconic Angkor Wat,” said LifeCycle Founder Alan Curry during a press conference yesterday.
“The temperature is expected to be 30 degrees plus, with humidity levels over 90%. Sleeping will be in tents. When we use the word “challenge”, we really mean daring… and certainly not for the faint-hearted,” Mr Curry continued.
“It is inspiring to see so many people coming together to give their time, money and expertise in the service of others. Entrepreneurs and our private sector form the backbone of this country. When they harness their abilities and channel this towards social and environmental good, the whole community can only benefit,” said Minister for Economy, Investment and Small Businesses Christian Cardona.
Helping those who suffer
LifeCycle Malta Foundation is a non-profit organization (NGO) that raises money to support patients suffering from kidney failure and covers the areas of awareness, treatment and research. In order to achieve these goals, the foundation collaborates with the medical staff at the Renal Unit of Mater Dei Hospital and the University of Malta Research Trust (RIDT).
LifeCycle has supported the needs of kidney disease patients and their families for the past 20 years, furthering also awareness of organ transplants in Malta in collaboration with the Transplant Support Group.
Moreover, the foundation set up last November a new project called Renal Unit Support Health Hub (RUSH) in order to offer a comprehensive support network for patients.
The money collected each year from various businesses and individuals goes towards the needs of kidney disease patients at the Renal Unit, including the yearly support for “Traccia” software, which facilitates the procedure of finding the right match for renal patient compatible with a kidney donor, as the press release sent to BM says.
In addition, the RUSH project pays for psychological support to approximately 300 kidney patients and kidney donors, offering also free fitness sessions to renal patients undergoing dialysis treatment.