The Milan Marathon is much more than a race: it’s a chance to bring sport and solidarity together<\/strong>, running for a cause that can truly change the lives of newborns and their mothers.<\/p>\n Following last year’s debut, the Paolo Chiesi Foundation is back for its second year in the Milan Marathon’s Charity Program<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 this time to support the project “A Healthy Start for Burkina Faso.<\/em>“<\/p>\n Neonatal mortality remains one of the world’s most pressing health challenges in sub-Saharan Africa: around 800,000 newborns die every year, at an average rate of 26 to 30 deaths per 1,000 live births. According to the WHO, two-thirds of these deaths could be prevented with simple, accessible healthcare measures. In Burkina Faso specifically, the neonatal mortality rate stands at roughly 25 deaths per 1,000 live births.<\/p>\n The Paolo Chiesi Foundation has been working in Burkina Faso since 2010, alongside the Saint Camille Hospital in Ouagadougou (HOSCO)<\/strong>, run by the Camillian Fathers. Together, we’re working to improve the quality of neonatal care \u2014 especially for premature and critically ill babies \u2014 through ongoing strategic, technical, and training support to the hospital’s neonatal unit.<\/p>\n Since 2020, with the Foundation’s backing, we’ve also helped build the R\u00e9seau de P\u00e9rinatologie de la R\u00e9gion du Centre (RPRC)<\/em><\/strong>, a coordination network bringing together 13 healthcare facilities across Ouagadougou \u2014 hospitals, birth centers, and national and international health institutions \u2014 to strengthen how critically ill newborns are referred and cared for, and to spread shared protocols and training across the region.<\/p>\n Our goal is to reduce neonatal mortality across partner facilities and improve care for premature, low-birth-weight, and sick newborns, both in neonatal wards and in Kangaroo Care units<\/strong>, where babies benefit from skin-to-skin contact with their mother or father.<\/p>\n More specifically, we’re working to:<\/p>\n Thanks to this work, more and more newborns receive quality care every year \u2014 giving them a real chance to survive and thrive.<\/p>\n The 2027 Milan Marathon offers two ways to run for our cause:<\/p>\n Whether you’re a seasoned runner or lacing up for the first time, either option lets you run with us and become a personal fundraiser<\/strong>: set up your fundraising page on Rete del Dono<\/a>, rally friends and family behind you, and turn every kilometer into a concrete act of solidarity. Every donation goes directly to the “A Healthy Start for Burkina Faso<\/em>” project.<\/p>\n Our goal is to bring 100 relay runners and 15 marathon runners<\/strong> to the start line, raising \u20ac30,000<\/strong> together for HOSCO. The more of us there are on 4 April in Milan, the greater the support we’ll bring to Ouagadougou \u2014 and the more newborns we’ll be able to take care of. Join us and help us cross this finish line!<\/p>\n Running for the Paolo Chiesi Foundation means:<\/p>\n Don’t miss the chance to make a difference. Sign up for the 2027 Milan Marathon, choose the Paolo Chiesi Foundation as your charity, and start your fundraiser on Rete del Dono.<\/p>\n To learn more about the project and how to take part, visit our page on Rete del Dono<\/a> or write to us at info@paolochiesifoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Why Burkina Faso needs our support<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What the project aims to achieve<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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How you can get involved: run, fundraise, save lives<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Why run with us?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Run with us, raise funds, and give newborns in Burkina Faso a better future<\/strong><\/h3>\n