Bupa Turkey Became the Power of Goodness at the Istanbul Marathon

Bupa Turkey, as it does every year, participated in the 46th Istanbul Marathon under the motto "Removing barriers for a life without barriers" to benefit the Turkish Spinal Cord Injury Association (TOFD).

Bupa Turkey employees participated in the Istanbul Marathon within the framework of the "Healthy Cities" initiative, which was launched to encourage people to adopt long-term healthy habits in their daily lives and to support laying the foundations for a sustainable future, running in support of TOFD.

The 75 volunteer employees of the Bupa Turkey running team participated in the association's "Will You Be My Road Companion?" project, and a dedicated support team assisted 3 TOFD participants from the start to the finish line over 8 kilometers to complete the marathon.
Among the 188 people who opened a donation campaign for TOFD, the Bupa Turkey volunteer running team ranked first among all participating institutions with 1,387 different donors and also ranked first in the list of institutions that collected the most donations.

With the funds raised, 42 smart wheelchairs will be delivered to those in need in December as part of the "Will You Be My Road Companion?" project carried out by TOFD.

Noting that they are a group aimed at helping people lead healthier, happier lives and creating a better world, Ebru Keskin Kulalar, Head of Strategy and Transformation at Bupa Turkey, stated: "As a pioneering institution in integrated health services, we take into account the physical, mental and social dimensions of health and, in addition to the services we provide in this direction, we adopt the principle of contributing to society through social responsibility projects. Participating in the Istanbul Marathon with this philosophy, 'running in pursuit of goodness,' is very valuable to us. The healing and unifying power of sports enables us to reach greater goals. At the same time, through this organization, we reflect our company's sensitivity to diversity, equality and inclusion within our sustainability framework. On this occasion, when we come together hand in hand, we witness how a small act of goodness can grow. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this goodwill mobilization by providing material and moral support throughout the campaign."

Actively participating in the world's only intercontinental marathon, Aslıhan Duymaz, Deputy General Manager of Bupa Acıbadem Insurance, stated: "Sport is not only a tool that improves physical health but also strengthens social bonds. With this belief, we support our employees and all our policyholders to take steps towards healthy and happy lives. By supporting TOFD's 'Will You Be My Road Companion?' campaign with our colleagues, we aimed to raise awareness. Thanks to our supporters, we exceeded our target in the donation campaign we launched. We are very pleased that we will deliver 42 smart wheelchairs to those in need this year. We will continue to remove barriers for a life without barriers."

The Turkish Spinal Cord Injury Association has been fighting for a life without barriers and raising awareness since 1998. It is estimated that there are more than 150,000 individuals with spinal cord injuries in our country. It is estimated that 90% of this number must live dependent on wheelchairs and another person.