A group of 8 determined colleagues from our catastrophic injury team is due to complete a running challenge this weekend – a task equivalent to running the distance from Swindon to Tunisia in aid of national charity, Horatio’s Garden.
The team set themselves a lockdown charity challenge to run 2800 kilometres between them in just 4 months. The team was originally signed up for the Cardiff Half Marathon but when the coronavirus struck, they knew the race was unlikely to take place in October and were determined to dream up something ambitious to test their mettle for such a good cause.
They started on 1 June and are due to reach the “finish line” this weekend on Sunday on 4 October – the date when the Half Marathon was due to take place.
The group’s aim was to try to raise much-needed funds for Horatio’s Garden. It’s developing an accessible garden at the new Welsh Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centre at Llandough Hospital which will open next year.
Cari Sowden-Taylor, Partner in the Catastrophic Injury Team who’s leading the charge, said today:
“We decided to set the challenge back in May when we were still in lockdown and welcoming the opportunity to get out of the house for a reason and purpose. It seemed a good idea at the time and is obviously for a fantastic cause – but trying to juggle full-time work, childcare, home-schooling and the running challenge is really tough! We’re determined to keep going though as it is for such a special charity and would love some last-minute support and inspiration from the local community.”
In work, the team focuses solely on supporting people who have suffered catastrophic brain and spinal cord injury. Horatio’s Garden as it’s a cause close to the team’s hearts, not just because of the work they do – but because they have family and close friends who have sustained life-changing spinal cord injuries.
Laura Bailey, an Associate Solicitor and one of the running group said:
“My father in law had a spinal cord injury 3 years ago. He’s a really keen gardener and I know if he had access to the kind of outdoor facility that Horatio’s Garden will be putting into Llandough, that would have assisted his rehabilitation and I think it would have been a really nice space to go out and take some time for himself or work in the garden there.”
Cari Sowden-Taylor added:
“Like many of my clients, my best friend suffered a spinal injury and had to spend a very long period of time in hospital. It would have been lovely to have had the opportunity to take her outside to get fresh air while she was in the hospital. The gardens created by Horatio’s Garden are really special and I can’t wait to see the finished garden at Llandough Hospital next year. We’re all really proud to be helping Horatio’s Garden and Cardiff and Vale UHB in this wonderful project which will make a huge difference to the lives of spinal injured patients and their families.”
