How do I get entry to the run?

Entry to all run venues is by the official Mater Heart Run 2026 T-shirt. Purchase your T-shirt in advance at Mater Misericordiae Hospital or any of the Mater Medical Centres at TRM, Buruburu, Westlands, Thika, or Development House.

Which town should I run in?

The event runs simultaneously in 11 towns: Nairobi (KICC), Mombasa (Loreto Convent), Machakos (Machakos School), Kakamega (Bishop Sulumeti Girls' High School), Kisumu (Lions High School), Nakuru (Nakuru Athletics Club), Eldoret (Moi Girls' High School), Bomet (St. Mary's Day & Boarding Primary School), Kericho (Kericho Teachers' Training College), Nyeri (Dedan Kimathi University of Technology), and Kirinyaga (Karoti Girls' High School, Mwea). Join the venue closest to you.

Can I donate without participating?

Yes. Donations can be made via M-Pesa Paybill 6556555 (Account: Your Name), or by bank transfer to Mater Hospital Heart Fund at NCBA House (Account No: 1188600604, Bank Code: 7, Branch Code: 102, SWIFT: CBAFKENXXX).

Where do the funds go?

All proceeds fund the Mater Hospital Cardiac Program, which provides heart surgery and cardiac care to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who would otherwise have no access to treatment.

Charity WalkAnnual Event

The Mater Heart Run

Sunday, 23 May 2027 · 7:00 AM

Results available below for the 2026 Edition - held 23 May 2026 · 2 weeks ago

📅The 2026 edition concluded successfully on 23rd May 2026. This page now shows the 2027 edition.

Touch a Child's Heart. A nationwide charity run across 11 towns raising funds for the Mater Hospital Cardiac Program, which provides life-saving heart surgery to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Entry to the venue is by Mater Heart Run 2026 T-shirt.

Multiple venues across Kenya (Nairobi, Mombasa, Machakos, Kakamega, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Bomet, Kericho, Nyeri, Kirinyaga)

7:00 AM

T-Shirt KES 1,000→Cap KES 500→Wristband KES 300

Mater Misericordiae Hospital

0732163085, 0719073013, 0793310053, heartrun@materkenya.com

www.materkenya.com/heart-run

@thematerheartrun Facebook @theheartrun

Registration opens closer to race day

Coming up

49 weeks to go

Sunday morning

Base-building phase.

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Consistent easy effort is the goal. Build aerobic fitness and establish the habit. Race-specific work comes later.

Event Highlights

Nationwide charity run held simultaneously across 11 towns on the same day

Raises funds for life-saving heart surgery for children from disadvantaged backgrounds

Entry to all venues is by Mater Heart Run 2026 T-shirt (KES 1,000)

The Mater Cardiac Program has performed over 5,000 heart procedures since 1996

Now in its 24th year, the Heart Run has grown from Nairobi-only to 11 towns across Kenya

Race Fees

Category	Fee	Status
T-Shirt (Entry included) Official Mater Heart Run 2026 T-shirt. Entry to the run venue is by T-shirt. Available at Mater Misericordiae Hospital or medical centres at TRM, Buruburu, Westlands, Thika, and Development House.	KES 1,000	Available
Cap Official Mater Heart Run 2026 cap	KES 500	Available
Wristband Official Mater Heart Run 2026 wristband	KES 300	Available

What's Included

Entry to your chosen run venue (by T-shirt)

Official Mater Heart Run 2026 T-shirt

Venues by Town

Town	Venue
Nairobi	Kenyatta International Convention Centre (K.I.C.C)
Mombasa	Loreto Convent, Mombasa
Machakos	Machakos School
Kakamega	Bishop Sulumeti Girls' High School
Kisumu	Lions High School
Nakuru	Nakuru Athletics Club
Eldoret	Moi Girls' High School
Bomet	St. Mary's Day & Boarding Primary School
Kericho	Kericho Teachers' Training College
Nyeri	Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
Kirinyaga	Karoti Girls' High School, Mwea

T-Shirt Pickup

Mater Misericordiae Hospital (main campus)

Mater Medical Centre - TRM

Mater Medical Centre - Buruburu

Mater Medical Centre - Westlands

Mater Medical Centre - Thika

Mater Medical Centre - Development House

Course Details

The Mater Heart Run is a community fun walk/run rather than a competitive race. Each of the 11 towns runs simultaneously on the same day. The Nairobi event starts and finishes at KICC on City Hall Way, running from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM. The Nairobi route loops through the CBD passing along Kenyatta Avenue, Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue, Ragati Road, Hospital Road, Elgon Road, Upper Hill Road, Bunyala Road, and back via Uhuru Highway and City Hall Way to KICC. Roads affected include City Hall Way, Kenyatta Avenue, Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue, Elgon Road, Harambee Avenue, Mara/Ragati Road, Bunyala Road, and Parliament Road - traffic police will be deployed at junctions along the route. Entry to every venue is by the official Mater Heart Run T-shirt - purchase yours in advance at Mater Misericordiae Hospital or any Mater Medical Centre listed above.

Getting There

For Nairobi participants, KICC is centrally located on Harambee Avenue in the CBD, easily reachable by matatu from any part of the city. Parking in the CBD is limited - public transport or drop-off is recommended. For other towns, head to the listed venue in your town; all venues are well-known local institutions.

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Did You Know?

🌍The Mater Hospital Cardiac Program began in 1995 and performed its first open-heart surgery in 1996, specifically to serve children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

🌍Over 5,000 heart procedures have been performed through the program to date, the vast majority by Kenyan doctors at Mater Hospital.

🌍The Mater Heart Run was started in 2002 as one of the main fundraising avenues for the Cardiac Program - initially held only in Nairobi, it has since expanded to 11 towns.

🌍The program is run in line with the Values of the Sisters of Mercy, which emphasise compassion for all and uplifting the underprivileged.

🌍In 2008, the Hospital launched free cardiac outreach screening camps nationwide to screen for heart ailments and educate communities about preventable acquired heart disease.

Results

2026 Edition

The 2026 Mater Heart Run was a massive success, uniting thousands of participants across 11 counties to raise KSh 150 million - funding life-saving open and closed-heart surgeries for underprivileged children at Mater Misericordiae Hospital.