Leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer Actavis, which has a plant in Malta, will be sponsoring Lifecycle 2014 Challenge’s 2,000-kilometre journey from Fukuoko to Tokyo, Japan. The company has been sponsoring Lifecycle since 2005.

The challenge was launched at Mater Dei Hospital’s Renal Unit last Thursday in the presence of Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia, Actavis general manager Patrick Cachia and Lifecycle founder Alan Curry.

Dr Farrugia thanked the Lifecycle Foundation for its success in raising money for the Renal Unit and ultimately for the benefit of all renal patients and their families.

Mr Cachia said: “As part of our corporate social responsibility programme, Actavis regularly assists non-profit organisations and contributes to economic, environmental and philanthropic initiatives that improve the health and the quality of life of our community. The support Actavis gives to the Lifecycle Challenge aligns itself with the company’s three powerful words of our corporate ‘winning behaviours’ that define how we act and what we do on a daily basis, namely: challenge (to go the extra mile, work hard); connect (to unite local knowledge and work as a team in a global scenario); and commit (delivering on commitments and embracing corporate social responsibility).”

Throughout the past years the Renal Unit has received millions of euros worth of equipment and services from the previous 15 Lifecycle editions, including kidney machines, air-conditioning for the unit, a haemodialysis reverse osmosis plant, LCD screens for the patients, the services of a dietician and a van to facilitate the provision of evening dialysis services.