The Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund will once again lend its support to the Blue Run 5K, taking place on Sunday, September 20, 2026 at Emancipation Park. This year, 204 participants have registered under the CHASE banner, including staff, partners, students and beneficiaries, all set to join hundreds of runners and walkers dressed in blue — the colour globally recognized for prostate cancer awareness.
The Blue Run continues to be one of the most visible platforms through which the CHASE Fund advances its health mandate, drawing national attention to the importance of early detection, regular screening, and the need for men in particular to prioritize their health.
Beyond cancer awareness, CHASE Fund’s participation in the Blue Run reflects its broader investment in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) — including cancers, diabetes, and hypertension — which remain among the leading causes of death and disability in Jamaica. Through its Health portfolio, the CHASE Fund continues to support initiatives that encourage physical activity, healthy eating, and preventive screening as key tools in reducing the national NCD burden and fostering healthier lifestyles across all age groups.
The CHASE Fund’s involvement in the Blue Run builds on previous investment in the fight against prostate cancer, one of the leading cancers affecting Jamaican men. Under its Health portfolio, the Fund allocates 20 percent of its resources to infrastructure upgrades, modern medical equipment and technologies for hospitals, health centres and clinics, and training for healthcare practitioners.
This investment has supported significant national health initiatives, including partnerships that contributed to the establishment of the National Cancer Treatment Centres at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Kingston and Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay. The Fund has also supported oncology nursing training and sustained cancer research at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.
Among these initiatives is CHASE-supported research at the Anticancer Research Jamaica (ACRJ) Cell Culture Lab at UWI Mona, focused on the advancement and characterisation of breast cancer cell lines. The research seeks to improve the representation of breast cancer cell lines derived from Jamaican women, addressing a longstanding gap in cancer research, which has historically relied heavily on cell lines of European ancestry. This work is helping to advance a stronger foundation for research into more targeted and personalised approaches to cancer treatment for Jamaican and Caribbean women.
“Our participation in the Blue Run has become a calendar event for the CHASE Fund, and each year it takes on greater meaning as we see the tangible impact of our investment in health,” said W. Billy Heaven, CEO of the CHASE Fund.
“With 201 members of our team, partners, students and beneficiaries registered this year, we are doing more than showing up in blue. We are demonstrating our continued commitment to a body of work that includes cutting-edge cancer research right here at UWI, Mona. This research is helping scientists to better understand cancer in Jamaican women and contributing to efforts to develop more effective, tailored treatment approaches. This is what our investment in health is about — turning awareness into action, and action into outcomes that can improve and save lives,” he added.
For more information on the CHASE Fund and its health initiatives, visit www.chase.org.jm
