Trail Running For Accessibility: Supporting Kara & William

During the COVID pandemic, I discovered my passion for trail running, and I haven't stopped since. I feel fortunate to be able to access these beautiful trails in my home, Hong Kong, and further afield. I wish to use this passion to support two incredible individuals, my brother William and a former student, Kara, both of whom were born with cerebral palsy. I intend to run three ultra-marathons to raise funds to help make day-to-day life more accessible for them. Accessibility is crucial for people with disabilities, as everyday tasks we often take for granted can be challenging. While I am fortunate to run on trails, Kara and William face barriers that limit their independence and opportunities. I've witnessed firsthand the support children and young adults with cerebral palsy need, and I simply wish to help make a positive difference in their lives.

I'll be tackling three challenging races:

LA SPORTIVA ULTRA FISH N SHEEP: 50.9km with an elevation gain of +2,732m on October 11th

Result: 3rd place overall, 2nd in age group - 6hrs 42min 25sec

TRANSLANTAU 100 by UTMB®: 100.3km with an elevation gain of +4,726m on November 9th

Result: 13th place overall, 3rd in age group - 15hrs 20min 19sec

THE HONG KONG 100: 102.9km with an elevation gain of +5,300m on January 18th

Total Distance: 254.1km

Total Elevation Gain: +12,758m

William:

My brother Willam, aged 26, is a very happy sociable young man who enjoys engaging with his peers and having a joke with his friends. He is very kind and caring and brings a smile to those around him. William lives in a ground-floor flat in a small Scottish town. He has total support from a dedicated support team and family. He is very well-known in the local community and especially loves to visit charity shops to look for DVDs and videotapes. William is nonverbal he uses a VOCA to communicate, along with some simple sign language. He also has limited mobility with visual perception and is unable to walk unaided outside by himself. I would like to try and improve his day-to-day life by creating direct access from his living room to his garden, giving him more independence to access his garden. This will be done by converting an existing window into a patio door. This would allow him to be out in nature more easily and often. Any additional funding would be used to help create an accessible seating area in the garden so he can connect with his friends more often and easily. This could include the addition of patio tiles and furniture.

Kara:

Kara, aged 8, is a former student who I had the pleasure of teaching last academic year. Similarly to William, Kara has a way of bringing a smile to all of those around her. Despite the various barries that Kara has, she always remained positive and tried her best in all aspects of school. She was born prematurely at 32 weeks. Cerebral palsy affects her legs and her left arm, meaning that she is a wheelchair user. Kara’s family weren’t sure if she would ever talk as it took her a while - now she doesn’t stop and amuses us all with her wicked sense of humour! Kara needs her small bathroom converted into an accessible wet room. As she's grown, lifting her in and out of the tub has become increasingly difficult and unsafe. The project involves removing the tub, installing handrails, and adding a sink she can wheel up to, making her bathroom more functional for her needs.

The funds raised will be equally divided between Kara and William, supporting these accessibility improvements.

I'll be sharing my journey via Instagram [CLICK HERE ] and on Strava [CLICK HERE ] for a more in-depth look at my training. Please feel free to follow my journey to try and help make a difference in William and Kara’s lives.