Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1472871
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 JULY 2022 14 COMMERCIAL FOLLOWING a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the LifeCycle (Malta) Founda- tion will hold the 22nd edition of the Nescafé LifeCycle Chal- lenge 2022 between 31 October and 14 November in Argentina and Chile. This will be the first time that the challenge will take place in South America. During this gruelling challenge, 25 cyclists will complete an ep- ic 2,000-kilometre bicycle ride from Argentina's capital Buenos Aries to Santiago in Chile in a bid to raise funds for kidney dis- ease research and renal disease patients. Chile will be the 50th country in which cyclists from the Nescafé LifeCycle Challenge will be venturing since the chal- lenge started more than 20 years ago. The South American challenge was originally planned for 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic. Details of the challenge were announced during a press con- ference at Hilltop Gardens by representatives of the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation and Nes- café, the main supporter of the LifeCycle challenge, together with the Head of the Nephrol- ogy and General Medicine Divi- sion at Mater Dei Hospital, Pro- fessor Emanuel Farrugia and the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Clifton Grima. LifeCycle (Malta) found- er Alan Curry stated that this challenge is being held for the 22nd time and, despite the sig- nificant challenges of the last years, the foundation is keen to pursue this ambitious objective in South America this year. He said the average daily distances will be between 160 to 200 kilo- metres over a period of ten days. The cyclists will be climbing up to an elevation of about 3,500 metres in the Andes, the high- est any challenge has achieved thus far. "The cyclists will be combining intensive indoor bike training to simulate the long mountainous climbs over the Andes, as well as the usual long endurance miles here in Malta," Curry said. He said that the 25 partici- pants will be commencing their intense training build up on 11 July. Curry thanked all the cyclists as well as other support team members who will make this feat possible. In particular, he thanked the sponsors of the event, especially the title spon- sor, Nescafé. Charlene Ellul, Corporate Communications Manager for Nestlé Malta Ltd, said that, for the fourth year running, the company was proud to contin- ue and renew its sponsorship for this year's Nescafé Lifecycle Challenge as it partners up to support the work the Lifecycle (Malta) Foundation does with renal patients and their fami- lies. She praised the gruelling training programme and com- mitment the cyclists put them- selves through to prepare for the challenge, raise funds and drive awareness. "Nestlé considers this chal- lenge as one of the initiatives we will be sponsoring and support- ing to show our commitment to the wellbeing of the local com- munity," she said. "This initiative aligns perfectly with our company's healthy life- style objectives." Farrugia noted that the burden of chronic kidney disease is in- creasing worldwide and in Mal- ta this affects approximately 10 percent of the population. "The COVID -19 pandemic has disproportionately affected our dialysis and kidney transplant patients," he said. "LifeCycle (Malta) continues to provide our patients with practi- cal, emotional and financial help and truly make a real difference to our people living with chronic kidney disease." Grima praised the continuous and noble support given by Li- feCycle Challenge members not only financially but also the sup- port given to renal patients and their families. "It is notable that this act of al- truism by the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation is not only helping these patients and their families materially but is also resulting in an improved quality of life for those concerned. I commend this annual major event, applaud all those who are part of it both directly and also indirectly, and wish all another success for this year's event in Argentina and Chile," he said. Earlier this year, the LifeCy- cle (Malta) Foundation held an indoor cycling challenge on the occasion of World Kidney Day to raise awareness on the LifeCy- cle challenge and the LifeWalk challenge, another annual initi- ative aimed at raising funds for kidney-related research. Despite the difficulties the pan- demic brought about, the Nescafé LifeWalk Challenge 2021 was held and 33 participants trekked Hadrian's Wall in the UK. Donations to the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation can be made via Revolut on 9932 9101, by PayPal on this link: https://buff. ly/35g17CC and via SMS: 5061 7370 for €2.33; 5061 8920 for €6.99; 5061 9229 for €11.65; or via a call to 5160 2020 for €10; 5170 2005 for €15; and 5180 2006 for €25. Donations can be made al- so via bank transfers via Swift code VALLMT- MT, IBAN MT 18 VALL 2 2 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 8 1 4 5 2 1 0 1 7 , with the Bank name being Bank of Valletta, and account number 14814521017. For more information, one can visit https://lifecyclefoundation. com or https://www.facebook. com/LifeCycleChallenge LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation and Nescafé announce 2022 challenge in South America