Yomi Omogbeja (30/06/2004)

The 2004 World AIDS Marathon will be held on November 27 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Runners from all over the world are expected to participate and each will aim to raise $5,000 from individuals, family and friends.

Organisers expect at least 1,000 runners to enter the race, which regardless of the amount raised will take the gross income to $5 million.

Proceeds will be divided as follows: 70% to AIDS charities in Kenya; 20% for AIDS research and 10% as seed money for the 2005 Marathon.

The race came about because people were inspired by the story of Richard Brodsky, and his passion to change the world.

His book about his remarkable experience attracted a good deal of media interest, and generated lots of goodwill from people within the United States, as well as in Angola, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Holland, Nigeria and Kenya.

This is Brodsky story:

• Richard was a successful New York architect and marathon runner who was happily married with three daughters.
  

• However, on one terrible day in 1997, he had to tell his wife Jodi that he was bisexual and contracted HIV from another man.
  

• Many women would have chosen to end their marriages right then and there, but Jodi chose to stay.
  

• Today, the Brodskys are still happily married, their family is intact, and Jodi has never tested positive for HIV.
  

• Then, in 2002, Richard was diagnosed with brain cancer! Fortunately, the treatment was successful, and the cancer currently appears to be in remission.
  

• After completing the 2003 New York City marathon, it occurred to Richard that he owed his life to the excellent medical treatment that is available in the United States – and, of course, the love of Jodi.
  

• Brodsky concluded that there was no reason why people with AIDS around the world couldn’t enjoy the same quality of life that he did.
  

• Thus the 2004 World AIDS Marathon was born.