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The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg invites you to the 15th NCT Run from July 10 to 12. At this charity event, participants can run, hike, or walk for a good cause—the goal is to collectively cover 40,000 kilometers, which is equivalent to circling the globe once. Participation is free, and donations for applied cancer research are welcome. Registration is available online: www.nct-lauf.de

Around the world in three days—that’s the goal of the 2026 NCT Run. In previous editions, more than 60,000 athletes have collectively covered nearly 740,000 kilometers and raised over 1.1 million euros for applied cancer research. From July 10 to 12, the 15th NCT Run aims to add at least 40,000 kilometers and as much in donations as possible to this total.

Anyone can participate in the NCT Run, whether young or old, experienced or inexperienced. Participants are free to choose how they cover their kilometers—they can run, hike, or walk, and they can also choose any route they like. Whether on a forest trail in Heidelberg or in the eternal ice of Antarctica: a global online community is taking part in the run across all seven continents and on every type of terrain. Online registration is now open: www.nct-lauf.de. Participation is free, but donations in support of innovative cancer treatment at the NCT Heidelberg are encouraged.

As in the previous year, the Heidelberg Gymnastics Club’s Bahnstadt Run on July 11 is a partner of the NCT Run. One kilometer of the NCT Run is integrated into the Bahnstadt Run circuit. For each lap completed, one kilometer is added toward the collective goal of the NCT Run for each participant. Anyone who wishes to have the entire distance of the Bahnstadt Run counted can also register for the NCT Run.

Dirk Jäger, Executive Director at NCT Heidelberg and Head of the Department of Medical Oncology at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), says: “The fact that the NCT Run combines a good cause with physical activity is a win-win situation. We thank all participants for their active support, which enables us to provide ever-better care for our patients at NCT Heidelberg.”

Until the joint goal of 40,000 kilometers is reached, the main sponsor, SAP, together with other supporters, will donate 0.50 euros for every kilometer completed. The event’s patron is the Mayor of Heidelberg, Eckart Würzner.

Stefan Fröhling, Executive Director at NCT Heidelberg and Head of the Department of Translational Medical Oncology at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), says: “The athletes participating in the NCT Run are committed to helping us at NCT Heidelberg make further progress in innovative applied cancer research for the benefit of our patients. We aim to translate more and more research findings into clinical practice.”

Facts and Figures

• Date: Friday, July 10 (12:00 a.m.), through Sunday, July 12, 2025 (12:00 a.m.)
• Registration: Online at www.nct-lauf.de  
• Entry fee: Free. Donations to benefit the NCT Heidelberg are requested.
• Fundraiser: Personal fundraising campaigns can be launched on the NCT website: www.nct-heidelberg.de/spendenaktion
• Route: Can be chosen freely. Kilometers covered are entered manually online using personal login credentials.
• Organization: Regina Hohmann, Tel.: 06221 56-36146, regina.hohmann(at)nct-heidelberg.de, and Andreas Klein, Tel.: 06221 42-5448, andreas.klein(at)nct-heidelberg.de
• Organizer: Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD)
• Participate: Participants can share their personal NCT run on social media using #nctlauf and #nctrun. Alternatively, they can send photos and videos directly to the organizers: fundraising(at)nct-heidelberg.de 
   
• Donation account: Heidelberg University Hospital
  LBBW / BW-Bank Stuttgart
  IBAN: DE64 6005 0101 7421 5004 29
  BIC: SOLADEST600
  Reference (please always include): D 100 70680
• Partner 2026: Bahnstadtlauf, https://heidelberger-tv.de/bahnstadtlauf/, registration fee applies

Press contact:
Dr. Martin Staiger
National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg
Head of Communications and Events
Im Neuenheimer Feld 460
69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Tel.: +49 6221 56-311272
Email: martin.staiger(at)nct-heidelberg.de
www.nct-heidelberg.de
 

The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg

The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg is a joint institution of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University Hospital Heidelberg (UKHD), the Heidelberg Medical Faculty of the Heidelberg University and the Thoraxklinik Heidelberg. The aim of the NCT Heidelberg is to transfer promising approaches from cancer research into clinical practice as quickly as possible, and thus to benefit patients. This applies to both diagnosis and treatment, in aftercare or prevention. Participation in clinical studies opens up access to innovative therapies. The NCT Heidelberg is thus a leader in transferring new research results from the laboratory to the clinic The NCT Heidelberg, founded in 2004, is part of the NCT with further locations in Berlin, Dresden, SouthWest (Tübingen-Stuttgart/Ulm), WERA (Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg, Augsburg) and West (Essen/Cologne).

German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

With more than 3,000 employees, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is Germany’s largest biomedical research institute. DKFZ scientists identify cancer risk factors, investigate how cancer progresses and develop new cancer prevention strategies. They are also developing new methods to diagnose tumors more precisely and treat cancer patients more successfully. The DKFZ's Cancer Information Service (KID) provides patients, interested citizens and experts with individual answers to questions relating to cancer.

To transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the clinic and thus improve the prognosis of cancer patients, the DKFZ cooperates with excellent research institutions and university hospitals throughout Germany:

• National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT, 6 sites)  
• German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, 8 sites)
• Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg
• Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON Mainz) - A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ
• DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim
• National Cancer Prevention Center (jointly with German Cancer Aid) 

The DKFZ is 90 percent financed by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and 10 percent by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.

Heidelberg University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine: Internationally Renowned Patient Care, Research and Teaching

Heidelberg University Hospital (Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, UKHD) is one of the largest and most prestigious medical centers in Germany. The Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University (Medizinische Fakultät Heidelberg, MFHD) belongs to the internationally renowned biomedical research institutions in Europe. Both institutions have the common goal of developing new therapies and implementing them rapidly for patients. Heidelberg University Hospital and the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University employs around 14.500 employees and is committed to providing trainings and qualifications. Every year, around 86,000 patients and more than 1.100.000 outpatient cases are treated in more than 50 clinical departments with almost 2.500 beds.

Together with the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) and the German Cancer Aid, the UKHD established the first National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) in Heidelberg. The goal is to provide care at the highest level as an oncology center of excellence and to rapidly transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the hospital. In addition, the UKHD operates in partnership with the DKFZ and the University of Heidelberg the Hopp Children’s Cancer center Heidelberg (KiTZ), a unique and nationally known therapy and research center for oncological and hematological diseases in children and adolescents.

The Heidelberg Curriculum Medicinale (HeiCuMed) is one of the top medical training programs in Germany. Currently, there are about 4.000 future physicians studying in Heidelberg.