Molly O’Keefe/Winonan
Kimberly Bates’s parasitology class is raising awareness and money for malaria prevention. They are raising funds by organizing T-shirt sales, bake sales and a 5K Walk/Run.
The Malaria Hysteria 5K Walk/Run will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 20 at the Small Lake Pavilion.
Tiffany Arcand, one of Bates’s parasitology students, is in charge of organizing the event.
“We received the Warrior Grant from the Student Senate, which will go a long way in helping to fund the event,” Arcand said.
All of the funds raised by the Malaria Hysteria 5K and other events sponsored by the parasitology class will be used to purchase bed nets for countries in which malaria is a huge problem.
Arcand said, “Most of the funds will be used to purchase bed nets through an organization that does work in countries where malaria is endemic, while a smaller portion will be used to buy bed nets for an orphanage.”
John Nosek will be leading a Tanzania travel study course this summer from May 18 to June 8. He will be installing bed nets purchased with funds from the race in an orphanage there.
Arcand said, “The bed nets will be purchased locally, which will not only help prevent the spread of malaria, but also help the local economy.”
Nosek said, “This is actually an initiative from the parasitology course that Dr. Bates teaches here, and she does various fundraising events every time she teaches the class for the idea of malaria prevention. She has agreed to provide us with funding in order to purchase bed nets while we are in Tanzania.”
The countries where malaria is endemic are generally poor and cannot afford some of the necessary treatments and preventative measures such as bed nets.
“The sad thing about malaria is that it is actually quite preventable, and even if it is contracted it is quite treatable but it kills a very large number of people every year, mainly children under five,” Nosek said.
Registration for the Malaria Hysteria 5K Walk/Run is still open. Race day sign up is open as well. The cost is $10 and participants will receive a T-shirt.
“I would encourage students to participate just for the sheer altruism of helping people out people who are in need,” Nosek said. “It just helps people whose needs are much greater than ours.”
Arcand said, “Eighty percent of malaria related deaths are children, and this is a great event to participate in because it will be making a difference. We encourage all students, staff and members of the Winona community to participate.”
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