Banif Bank sponsors LifeCycle athlete

Building on last year’s initiative, Banif Bank will be sponsoring Ian Ciantar, a first time LifeCycle athlete, who will be taking on this year’s challenge. Ian, together with several other cyclists, will be embarking on a 2,000km round trip around Iceland this July in order to raise funds and awareness for the Renal Unit. Banif Bank will be offering its support and will be keeping up to date with Ian’s progress as he undergoes intense training over the coming months to be in top physical and mental shape ahead of the event.

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The LifeCycle challenge is an annual event first held in 1999, with the aim of supporting patients suffering from end stage renal disease. Each year, a dedicated team of Maltese cyclists tackle what is one of the most gruelling endurance events in Europe, covering an average of 2,000km over 10 days. The funds generated by the initiative go towards raising awareness about the illness, and funding the Renal Unit and the care if offers, to improve the quality of life of patients.

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From left: Martin Borg, Alan Curry and Ian Ciantar

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On similar lines the Banif team has chosen to support two athletes attempting the ALIVE2015 Cycling Challenge, through the Bank’s Casual Fridays initiative. At the behest of staff members, the funds collected will go towards sponsoring Robert Cuschieri and Sandra Schembri Wismayer who will be joining 43 other participants and cycling over 1,000km across 7 countries from Liechtenstein to England over a period of seven days in July. The event’s objective is to support a research project in the field of Children’s Cancer which is being facilitated by the University of Malta’s Research, Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT).

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“Such endeavours harmonise with the Bank’s values of ambition, humanism and determination,” said Martin Borg, Area Manager. “We are always on the lookout for initiatives like these as they offer much on different fronts - on the one hand you have the element of promoting active lifestyles and overcoming obstacles, and on the other they greatly contribute towards raising funds and awareness for very important causes. The Bank, and its employees, are pleased to be able to do their part by way of offering support and furthering exposure for these causes.”