SIRMIUM 21/7 – WHEN A RACE BECOMES SOMETHING MORE

SIRMIUM 21/7 – WHEN A RACE BECOMES SOMETHING MORE

A look back at the first humanitarian night half marathon in Sremska Mitrovica

“We run for the rare.” – This was the message that brought together around 800 runners and nearly 2,000 visitors in Sremska Mitrovica on August 8, 2026, for the first humanitarian night half marathon “SIRMIUM 21/7.”

For the VHL Serbia Association, this event was much more than a sporting event. It was an opportunity to use sport, community and solidarity to raise awareness of rare diseases, to talk about people who face their own personal battles every day, and to show how important support can be.

What started as an idea, followed by months of planning, hard work, conversations and many uncertainties, became an evening we will remember for a long time.

Together, we made it happen

The first “SIRMIUM 21/7” was organized by the VHL Serbia Association, the Academy of Health and the City of Sremska Mitrovica, with the support of numerous partners, sponsors, volunteers and individuals who believed in our idea.

We are especially grateful to the sponsors who recognized the importance of this event and supported its realization:

MSD, Banka hrane Vojvodine, Coca-Cola HBC Srbija, Home Coffee & Dreams, Cafés Richard, Somboled Lactalis Srbija, Bambi, Ionix, Top Deisa, Life Lifting, Active-Life and Sweetfit.

Their support was more than assistance in organizing a sporting event. It was support for the idea that sport can inspire humanity and that, together, we can help make the voices of people living with rare diseases heard further.

A city that ran with us

Around 800 runners took to the streets of Sremska Mitrovica, while nearly 2,000 people became part of the event through their presence, encouragement and support.

For us, it was especially meaningful to see that the citizens of Sremska Mitrovica recognized that “SIRMIUM 21/7” was more than a race.

It was a place where people came together.

Athletes, families, friends, volunteers, donors, sports enthusiasts and people who may have heard about VHL and rare diseases for the first time that evening all became part of the same story.

And that is one of the greatest values of this event – we talked about rare diseases in front of a large audience.

Humanity in action

During the event, donation boxes were placed to support Jana, Katarina and Teodora, as well as donation boxes belonging to the VHL Serbia Association.

We wanted humanity to be more than just a message. We wanted it to become tangible help.

All funds collected in the donation boxes for Jana, Katarina and Teodora were transferred directly to their personal bank accounts.

For us, this is one of the most important parts of the “SIRMIUM 21/7” story.

When we say that we run for the rare, we want that message to have a real impact – for support not to remain just words, but to reach those who need it.

“Awards for the Rare” – stories that inspire

One of the most emotional moments of the evening was the presentation of the special “Awards for the Rare.”

These awards were not given to the fastest runners.

They were not about the stopwatch or the final result.

They were about courage, perseverance, resilience, determination and the strength of the human spirit.

We wanted to recognize people whose personal stories show that the boundaries we face can often be pushed further than we believe.

Mateo Lazarević – 7 years old, Ruma

Mateo is only seven years old.

After undergoing surgery for a brain tumor, he successfully recovered and showed just how much strength can fit into such a young heart.

Mateo ran 7 kilometers.

For us, his presence at the starting line and his crossing of the finish line meant much more than a sporting achievement.

It was a message that even after the most difficult challenges in life, it is possible to move forward again.

Mateo is our reminder that courage has no age.

Dragana Špehar – Ruma

Dragana has faced several battles with illness throughout her life.

Yet every time life tried to stop her, she found a way to come back.

Sport has helped her fight, persevere and find her strength again and again.

At “SIRMIUM 21/7”, she ran 7 kilometers.

Her story reminds us that victory is not always about being first.

Sometimes the greatest victory is simply to keep moving forward.

Lana Gavrilović – Sremska Mitrovica

Lana is an athlete who refuses to give up.

After suffering an injury last year, she returned to sport stronger and more determined than before.

At “SIRMIUM 21/7”, she ran 7 kilometers and won her race.

Her comeback shows that an injury may slow us down, but it does not have to stop us.

Sometimes, after a fall, we do not return the same – we return stronger.

Boško Đekić – Sremska Mitrovica

Boško is one of Serbia’s most talented young swimmers.

After taking a nine-month break due to a spinal injury, he returned to sport and continued to achieve outstanding results.

His story is one of patience, discipline and belief in recovery.

Boško reminds us that a true athlete is not only someone who wins when everything is easy, but someone who has the strength to start again when things are at their hardest.

What remained with us after the race?

When the lights go out, when the last runner leaves the course and the final elements of the event are taken down, one question remains:

What did we actually create?

We created more than a race.

We created a space where people could hear stories about rare diseases.

We created an event that brought sport and humanity together.

We created an opportunity to help people who need support.

And we created an evening in which people were reminded how much it means to hear someone say:

“You are not alone.”

Of course, the first edition also brought us many lessons.

There were challenges, unexpected situations and things we will do differently next year. But that is precisely why this experience is so valuable to us.

Every challenge we overcame, every mistake we learned from and every conversation we had during the preparations is now part of the foundation on which we want to build the future.

We do not want this to be just one evening

“SIRMIUM 21/7” is over, but our story is not.

We want this event to become a tradition in Sremska Mitrovica.

We want to see even more runners at the starting line in the years ahead, but more importantly, we want more people to understand what rare diseases are, to recognize the challenges faced by patients and their families, and to become part of the change.

Our goal is not simply to create a bigger and better race.

Our goal is to make rare diseases more visible, make the voices of those affected stronger, and make support more accessible.

Thank you for running with us

Thank you to every runner who was part of the first “SIRMIUM 21/7”.

Thank you to the citizens of Sremska Mitrovica who came out to the streets and supported the participants.

Thank you to our volunteers, partners, institutions, healthcare professionals and everyone who contributed in any way.

Thank you to our sponsors and donors who believed in our idea.

And a special thank you to everyone who stopped by a donation box that evening and chose to help.

Because every donation, every kilometer run, every cheer and every word of support became part of the same message:

No one living with a rare disease should have to face it alone.

The first edition of “SIRMIUM 21/7” is behind us.

But the race continues.

For the rare.
For visibility.
For support.
For hope. ❤️

VHL Serbia