G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital (GKNMH) unveiled the T-shirt and medal for the third edition of the ‘Run for Little Hearts’ Marathon at the hospital on 16th September 2025.

It was unveiled by Dr. Ragupathy Veluswamy, CEO of the hospital, along with Dr. Kalyanasundaram, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist; Dr. Vijayakumar, Consultant Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon; Dr. Ajeitha, Consultant Paediatric Haematology; and Dr. Sanchitha Harini, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist.

Srinivasan, Technical Chairman of the Coimbatore Athletic Association; Dr. Thiyagarajan, Chief Intensivist, and Anna Fisk, Chief Nurse Manager from Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA, were also present at the unveiling.

During the event, Dr. Ragupathy Veluswamy, said that this marathon is driven by compassion and a powerful vision — to give children a chance to live healthy and happy lives. “Every step you run, every rupee you raise will help children with critical heart defects and support treatment for those battling cancer,” he stated.

Dr. Veluswamy highlighted the urgent need for awareness and support, citing that nearly 200,000 babies are born with congenital heart disease in India each year. Among them, 60,000 to 70,000 require surgery within their first year of life, yet only about one-third are diagnosed early and treated appropriately.

Turning to childhood cancer, he noted that approximately 75,000 children in India are affected by cancer annually. “Many of these cases are curable if detected early and treated appropriately. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, many families are unable to access timely care,” he said.

He stressed that the funds raised through the marathon will directly support paediatric cardiac surgeries and comprehensive care for children with cancer, aiming to change these statistics for the better.

Dr. Veluswamy also shared that during last year’s marathon, over 2,000 people participated, and 55 children were able to receive life-saving treatments through the funds raised.

About the Marathon

The annual ‘Run for Little Hearts’ marathon, organised by the hospital to raise awareness and funds for children suffering from heart defects and childhood cancers, will be held on Sunday, September 28, at 5:30 a.m., starting from Mani Higher Secondary School, Papanaickenpalayam.

The event, first launched in 2023, is held every year in September to mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and to coincide with World Heart Day, observed on September 29. Proceeds from the marathon will directly support the treatment of children battling cancer and congenital heart conditions.

Three categories & cash prizes

  • 1 km and 3 km are open to all age groups, and children and families can run together
  • A 5 km run for boys and girls aged 12 to 18, and for men and women aged 18.
  • A 10 km run for adults aged 18 to 39 years, and a senior category for those above 40 years.

To encourage competitive spirit, cash prizes worth ₹75,000 will be awarded to winners in the 5 km and 10 km race categories.

The marathon is recognised and approved by the Coimbatore District Athletic Association and is supported by LMW, Lakshmi Card Clothing, and Lakshmi Mills Co. Ltd.

Organisers expect strong community participation and emphasise that, beyond competition, the event aims to spread hope and bring attention to critical health issues affecting children.