The Olympic marathon runner Narya Ly, supports childhood cancer research

This year the 8th edition of the charity race Los Calderones has a godmother who knows very well how much it costs to raise funds for research: Dr. Nary LY, specialized in the HIV virus, and the athlete representing Cambodia in the women's Marathon of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"When I was asked to sponsor Los Calderones, I didn't even hesitate," says Nary Ly. "As a scientist, I know that is very difficult to get money for research, and that's why I'm here today, to support research in childhood cancer," explains the athlete. Her speciality, however, is the research on the AIDS virus. Nary Ly received her doctorate at the Institut Pasteur, where she worked for nine years at the Department of infectious diseases. She was also three years doing a postdoctoral stay at the Research Division of the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and for a while in the U.S. Naval Research Unit.

Since last year, Nary Ly trains with the athlete Salvador Calvo, an international reference in long-distance runs and Godfather of the 5th Edition of Los Calderones. Her goal was to become the first woman from her country to take part in the Olympic Games Marathon, and finish the race on time. An so she did. Arrived, the last one, but with a smile and a story of overcoming that have already gone around the world.

Now her smile and her strength has been passed to the service of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology of the Vall d'hebron University Hospital, which she has visited accompanied by his coach and Alberto Barriguín, the organizer of the race. As in previous editions, the funds raised in Los Calderones will be destined to the Group of Translational Research in Childhood and Adolescence Cancer, led by Dr. Josep Sánchez de Toledo. With the previous editions it was raised close to 10,000 euros for the research.

The race will be held on October 2, and will start at the Sports Hall of La Magdalena, in León. It will count with a mountain, canicross, and foot race mode, and two children races. Registrations are still open in this link.