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Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run is set to raise funds to support three key Jamaican institutions for 2025, namely the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre, and the Father Ho Lung & Friends Foundation. 

With a target of J$115 million, all proceeds will go towards providing critical, life-changing support to Jamaica’s most vulnerable. Chris Zacca, president and CEO of Sagicor Group Jamaica and chairman of the Sagicor Foundation, is encouraging a wide participation run for the fun, donate for the cause.

According to him, “From saving lives in critical care to supporting the healing and rehabilitation of Jamaicans who need it the most, this is our opportunity to come together as a nation and show our compassion through action. Our beneficiaries touch thousands of lives and we want every Jamaican to come onboard and support the causes, the life that’s saved could be yours.”

Saving lives, empowering recovery and restoring hope 

As the largest public hospital in Jamaica, Kingston Public Hospital serves as a vital resource for patients across the island. The proceeds are earmarked for KPH’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which treats patients who are in the most critical condition. 

The facility serves as one of only two public ICUs on the island. With only seven beds, the KPH ICU is often faced with overwhelming demand, sometimes treating up to 10 critically ill patients at once. The restraint forces the medical team to set up makeshift beds, just to ensure people can get the life-saving treatment they need. 

Additionally, the unit faces infrastructural and staffing challenges, including machines that are nearing their natural useful life. “The funds from the Sagicor Sigma Run would go a long way in helping us care for our patients better and ultimately save lives,” explains Dr Christine Stephen, head of anaesthesia and intensive care at KPH.

She articulates, “Right now, patients sometimes stall in their progress because we don’t have the necessary equipment to care for them effectively. Critical illness is indiscriminate, and it can happen at any time. Upgrading KPH’s ICU could mean the difference between life and death.”

In a similar vein, the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre plays an essential role in the treatment and recovery of individuals of all ages. Its patients have experienced traumatic injuries, such as motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds, strokes, and other disabilities, including children with limb deformities and spinal cord injuries.

By helping over 2,400 individuals each year, the centre gives them the tools to reclaim their independence and live fulfilling lives. As a Sigma Run 2025 beneficiary, the centre is hoping to acquire essential physiotherapy equipment, accelerating recovery for patients and enhancing their rehabilitation journey.

Dwayne Francis, CEO of the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre comments, “we ensure that our patients exit this facility either walking or in a better condition than when they had entered. We are excited that Sagicor has considered us as a beneficiary, as the institution is celebrating its 70th anniversary.”

The team at Father Ho Lung & Friends Foundation is pleading with Jamaicans to support the Sigma Corporate Run, as they look to make conditions more liveable at the Bethlehem Home, a sanctuary where abandoned children with severe disabilities are given the care, comfort, and hope they desperately need. 

Father Richard Ho Lung from the Father Ho lung and Friends Foundation identifies, “one of the great difficulties we face is that we don’t have a roof at Bethlehem home, [and every time there is heavy rainwater pours through the ceiling] and the children get wet. We also provide shelter for a night or two to a lot of the people in the neighbourhood who live on the streets. The generosity of those who donate will be contributing to the care of those at Bethlehem Home.” 

Since 1999, Sagicor’s Sigma Corporate Run has been a beacon of hope and unity, bringing together thousands to promote camaraderie, fitness, fun, and the vital spirit of giving back. Over the years, the run has raised more than J$750 million, touching countless lives through health and educational initiatives.

Donations can be made via:

Cheque: Payable to Sagicor Foundation Jamaica

Direct deposit: Sagicor Foundation Jamaica – Account: 5502907486 (Sagicor Bank)

Credit card: Visit www.sagicorsigmarun.com

Sagicor Bank credit card points: Business and Individual

PayPal: Sagicor Foundation Jamaica

Sigma Run Shop: Sigma Run Secretariat, 28-48 Barbados Avenue, R. Danny Williams Building, New Kingston

Cash drop off: Sigma Run Secretariat, 28-48 Barbados Avenue, R. Danny Williams Building, New Kingston