JUNE 5 — It’s less than four weeks to the KL Standard Chartered Marathon, and I find myself occasionally hyperventilating at the thought of running the 42-kilometre route. Last year, I participated in the 10-kilometre segment of the race. This year, I enrolled myself to run the full marathon!
Having run last year in the Putrajaya Night Marathon and the Penang Bridge International Marathon, I am familiar with running this distance. But in comparison to the previous races which were run primarily in the coolness of the night, unless I’m injected with the DNA of Kenyan runners gunning for the gold medal at the upcoming Summer Olympics, I would very likely be completing my second half of the marathon running in the humid and scorching Kuala Lumpur morning. It’s going to be a tough one. No doubt about it.
In preparation for what I consider to be the first of three major marathons on my running calendar, I have put in some training and run a few races in preparation for the KL Marathon. I have run two half marathons (Brooks Half Marathon and the PJ Dawn) and even one full marathon (Energizer Night Race).
What’s the difference you might ask? In my opinion, quite a lot. Consider the route of the KL Marathon. It takes you from the green expanse of Dataran Merdeka, through the streets of Brickfields, past the old palace, the gleaming buildings of Bukit Bintang, the green hills of Bukit Tunku, and amidst the bustling shopping district of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. It is a challenging route for even the most experienced runner (insert prayer to God here).
When I ran in the 10-kilometre race last year, it was for fun and to “saja nak test power.” This year, I am running in the KL Marathon to raise funds for a cause: to support the work of PT Foundation in preventing HIV in Malaysia.
This remarkable organisation, which started in 1987 from humble beginnings, first provided telephone counselling services from a Jalan Alor apartment in Kuala Lumpur. It was also the first organisation to work on HIV and AIDS issues in the country.
Twenty-five years later, PT Foundation has grown to become Malaysia’s leading community-based non-profit organisation providing information, awareness and healthcare services related to HIV and sexuality.
This organisation has, in more than two decades, reached out to those who we, as members of society, rather not think about, acknowledge or care for.
When you look into the faces of the people who are at the centre of the work of this organisation, you see men and women, husbands and wives, grandparents and children who belong to the communities and families of People Living with HIV, sex workers, gay men, transsexuals and drug users. Each day, they face enormous challenges of stigma, discrimination and violation of their human rights. They live and work among us, are members of our families, and are also on the fringes of society.
They have often acted as the conscience of the AIDS movement in Malaysia. They remind us of the need to not judge, to not discriminate and to do no harm. They remind us that we are and can be a caring and compassionate society for each other and that working together, we have the potential to do much good.
We have finally arrived at a point of great hope and great opportunity in efforts against AIDS in Malaysia. Working with these communities, PT Foundation has played a significant role in supporting and keeping people and their families alive, usually with too little money or support. Each day, more than 200 individuals seek refuge at their drop-in centres. Over the years, more than 60,000 people of the most marginalised members of society have been beneficiaries of the foundation’s programmes.
Because of the latter’s efforts and better access to HIV treatment, thousands of people have found hope and become empowered to return to normal, productive fulfilling lives.
The work of PT Foundation has touched the lives of so many. It has changed and educated minds, influenced and empowered change, prevented HIV, provided care and support, and reduced stigma and discrimination. It has also saved lives.
Let’s ensure that PT Foundation stays on for another 25 years of service and help keep dreams alive!
I will be part of a team of runners bedecked with red ribbons and special running bibs who will be running the full marathon, half marathon and 10km races in the upcoming KL Marathon on June 24.
We are running to raise funds in support of the work of PT Foundation. Help us support them!
* To support us for the KL Marathon, please donate directly to PT Foundation’s account (CIMB: 14081207152058). Don’t forget to send an email with the subject FOR MARATHON SUPPORT to Laika ([email protected]) stating your name, contact info and donation amount.
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.