Run for IVU Virtual Challenge

The 2023 Run for IVU is a team-based virtual challenge that supports International Volunteers in Urology (IVUmed). Join one of 15 teams to help raise money for IVUmed programming and complete a 15 mile individual distance goal in 15 days. Participants can run, walk, hike, or bike anywhere from June 15-30, 2023. 

Participants join one of 15 competing teams, each representing one of IVUmed’s program sites, to complete a minimum individual fundraising goal of $500 and a team fundraising challenge of $7,500. Each team will have a Team Captain and up to 15 total team members. Team members can be geographically distant from each other and do not necessarily need to know each other, or be affiliated with the program site the team is named after. Team members solicit donations for the 15 miles they will try to complete in 15 days. Donations and distances count towards the team challenge totals. 

The registration fee is $35 per person and includes a race t-shirt, race swag. 

Individual participants who complete the 15 mile virtual challenge goal, and whose team completes the fundraising challenge will receive a finisher’s prize. The team that raises the most money in 15 days will win a prize and their team country’s program site will receive needed urologic and surgical supplies (determined by need and availability).

Join a team, meet new people, have fun!!

This virtual challenge can be done from any location you choose! You can run, jog, or walk on the road, on the trail, on the treadmill, at the gym, or on the track. You get to run your own race, at your own pace, on your own time. Participants will be able to submit their mileage and time results virtually on their profile page by either manually uploading the results or by uploading a GPS activity file from Strava or Garmin Connect.

Our Mission

International Volunteers in Urology (IVUmed) is committed to making quality urological care available to people worldwide. In fulfilling this mission, IVUmed provides medical and surgical education to physicians and nurses and treatment to thousands of children and adults.

Our Work

For over 25 years, IVUmed has been sending highly-skilled surgical teams to train doctors and nurses in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. We work with our host colleagues to increase local access to quality urologic care. Our teams begin by demonstrating and teaching surgical techniques while treating patients in need. Then, as the local physicians gain experience and expertise, they begin serving patients directly and teaching the techniques to their peers. IVUmed volunteers return often, over a number of years, teaching increasingly more advanced procedures as the local physicians’ skills mature. The cycle continues until each host country has a pool of skilled talent with the ability to care for most patients on their own.

We are very grateful for your continued support, volunteerism, and involvement with IVUmed throughout the years.  During this past year, we have relaunched our in-person surgical workshops, as well continuing to grow our virtual learning, training, and research platform that includes Virtual Visiting Professor Lectures, Virtual Visiting Professor Lecture Archive, Global Consult Program, and Research Mentorship Program. During the past year, IVUmed hosted more than 50 Virtual Visiting Professor Lectures. We’ve established lecture series with hospitals in 12 countries, and hosted several lectures with global reach, with viewers spanning several continents. Every lecture we present is posted online, enabling our global colleagues to learn at their convenience.

The Need

Five billion people lack access to basic surgical care. Specialized care like urology is even harder to find. The United Nations cites lack of healthcare as a root cause of extreme poverty. Debilitating health conditions drain family resources. They prevent many throughout the world from earning a living. A child unable to attend school. A breadwinner unable to work. Family members obliged to stop working or attending school to care for a relative. These scenarios contribute to long-term poverty. Millions of people worldwide await expert care to help rebuild their lives. The answer to the shortage of surgical care is hands-on training of local personnel. That’s what IVUmed does.

Teach One, Reach Many.

If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.

Questions?