ShareBy Majd Othman
KUWAIT: To support children with special needs, Fawzia Sultan Healthcare Network (FSHN), a multidisciplinary non-profit healthcare organization, organized on Saturday the 10th edition of RunKuwait. "Every year we hold RunKuwait, a charity race for kids with special needs. All the funds we collect from the runners and participants go to children with special needs to get services at Fawzia Sultan," said Anne Marie Baterrany, Business Development and Marketing Manager at FSHN.
"This year we reached 1,500 participants, but we usually have more than this number. The event was great and we had a large number of sponsors supporting us - AUK, STC, Agility, KDD, InterSport, City Center, Aquafina, KIB, Raha and definitely all media sponsors (including Kuwait Times)," Baterrany said. "The great thing about this event is that we had the chance to see a large number of special needs kids participating with us. Some of them asked to give trophies to the sponsors, thanking them for being a part of this event," she added.
Manal Al-Shakhshir, Director of Admissions and Registration at Al-Bayan Bilingual School and Al-Bayan International School affiliated to FAWSEC Educational Company, told Kuwait Times that a large number of their students participated in the run. "We are excited to support our students to be a part of this run, stressing on the importance of participation of schools in such events to urge kids to support charity events, in addition to being fit and participate in sports in general," she said.
"This event has two aspects - the sports side that focuses on health and fitness, and from the other side, it has a great role in supporting charity work for special needs children. The funds will provide them with the services they need," said Shakhshir, a mother of two special needs children.
"I thought it would not be easy for my special needs kids to be a part of the run, but they are happy they participated. These types of events give my children a boost of positive energy and improves their mental health. We hope these events continue due to the great work by Fawzia Sultan in supporting and encouraging our kids to be active and become more integrated into the community," Shakhshir added.
Fatima Al-Mosawi, Founder of Spread the Passion, a non-profit organization that connects volunteers with volunteering opportunities, said: "We are focusing on participating in events that benefit volunteers with skills that improve their lives. In these types of sports events, we are keen to provide volunteers and enroll them to make them be a part of social responsibility and health awareness."
"These events boost awareness among people regarding sports and wellness. Meanwhile, people can enjoy their time with positive people, instead of staying at home doing nothing," said Aseel Al-Shahin, a Kuwaiti athlete. "Sports events are increasing in Kuwait - we can find several events every week, from padel and cycling to walking and running, which encourages people to practice sports and take care of their health," she added.
