MARKO EMBARKS ON RACE OF LIFETIME FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER: He Climbed Kilimanjaro, Ran Across Desert for the Sick!

Marko Nikolić (36) from Vranje ran 1,000 kilometres from Niš to Athens to raise money for the treatment of baby Teodora from Aleksinac, climbed Kilimanjaro to help three women from Vranje, and ran across the desert in Morocco for little Maksim from Niš... But his mission does not end there - on September 1st, he plans to cover 2,500 kilometres for our children with cancer - by rowing, cycling, and running!

This incredible humanitarian grew up in difficult conditions. His father passed away, and his mother worked two jobs to support his education.

"While I was studying, I mixed mortar and washed glasses in a café to earn money for university, but I completed my bachelor's and master's degrees in sports and physical education with an average grade of 9.30," he tells Kurir.

He Knows Hardship

He knew what it was like to struggle, and he was always in excellent physical shape, so he always wanted to combine sport and humanitarian work to help someone. It all started in 2018 when he launched the Race of Hope project.

"I ran 1,000 kilometres from Niš to Athens to motivate people to raise money for the treatment of Teodora from Aleksinac, who was one year old at the time and suffering from an autoimmune disease, requiring a bone marrow transplant. It was urgent; her life was at risk. I told her parents, 'We will raise the money!' And we did. Thanks to the good people following me on social media, we raised the entire amount of about 80,000 euros. She successfully underwent surgery and is now well, thank God."

Helping Children in Africa

He Will Dig Two Wells in Uganda

Marko does not rest; he is already planning a drive to help people in Uganda, where he will travel at the beginning of June and plans to build at least two wells in the vicinity of Mbale with his friend Tamara Misirlić.

"Children there die from hunger. They walk kilometres to bring some water to the village, and even that is not enough. One well would provide for at least 20 families. We will donate our own money and personally help dig the wells, and if more people join, we can do even more for them. Our goal is to help those people there and to show the world that Serbs are good, humane people."

Then, in 2023, he climbed to the peak of Uhuru (5,895 metres) on Kilimanjaro. This was for "our three from Vranje," for whom money was already being raised. After Marko joined, another 20,000 euros were collected.

"The temperatures at the peak were around 15 below zero. There was also a strong wind... The weather was unpredictable, and since I hadn't done much altitude training, it was a bit challenging."

The same year, he also ran across the 1,420-kilometre desert in Morocco, from Dakhla to Marrakech, to motivate people to raise money for the treatment of Maksim Milenković from Niš, who suffers from a rare genetic disease.

"Temperatures were around 30 degrees Celsius during the day and between zero and five degrees at night. I alternated between running and fast walking. There is nothing there. I saw only snakes, no other animals. The challenge lasted 35 days and was not easy. There is no shade; I looked for signposts to sit under... The followers who went by bike and carried equipment ended up in the hospital on IV drips, and I used a child's pushchair to carry equipment for several days. I didn't want to stop so the drive wouldn't be halted," he explains.

A Worthy Goal

Marko has lived and worked in Kuwait for seven years, but he hasn't forgotten Serbia. His next plan is a big race through Serbia and Montenegro for children with cancer. This, he says, will be the largest humanitarian-sports venture in Europe.

"The plan is to row a kayak for 200 kilometres, cycle 1,600 kilometres, and run 700 kilometres within 35 days. I will start rowing from Ulcinj, then go to Tivat, and from Tivat, I will cycle through the entire Montenegro, through western, northern, eastern, and southern Serbia, all the way to Vranje. From Vranje, I will start running through central Serbia to Belgrade in a zigzag route to achieve 700 kilometres. I have already spoken with the officials from NURDOR; it still needs to be specified what is most needed, but the money will most likely be collected for equipping various haemato-oncology departments in Serbia," says Marko, adding that he is aware that this time the challenge is significant and carries risks, due to the demanding nature of the route, unpredictable weather conditions, terrain, and roads...

"But that doesn't matter because the goal is worth everything," says this brave man.