Christopher Burns, a member of Ballymun Athletics Club, is taking part in the Dublin Marathon next month with his daughter Ella (5).
He is hoping to raise money to donate as many chairs as possible to those who need one after seeing first-hand the difference it can make.
The pushchairs Christopher is raising money for are crafted by adaptive and mobility specialists for use by special needs children who’d benefit from enjoying an active lifestyle with their caregivers and families.
They’re also made for runners to push while in action so Ella can go out running with her dad and his club.
“They boost inclusivity, a club or a family might benefit from it. These chairs are mainly used for children with autism and they’ve been adopted by inclusive runners like us,” Mr Burns told the Irish Independent.
“It just gives Ella the freedom to do what everyone else does that we take for granted. We get up and go for a walk, a run, or a swim, but Ella can’t do anything like that. A lot of other kids can’t either. This gives them the ability to be brought on a run, to do a marathon or to achieve great things for themselves.
“When we had a chance to get a lend of a buggy, I said we’d try it once and see how it goes. She’s a very funny little girl, she was singing, kicking her legs, and very happy. So, I knew I needed to get her a chair.
“Ella, a little girl who’s non-verbal, is possibly the cheekiest little woman on the planet. She loves her music and her nursery rhymes.
“She loves being outside and going on walks. She’s very outdoorsy, and loves the beach and the water. She loves a darkened room, like a sensory room. She loves lights. She’s just a very happy girl considering all the issues she has.
“It’s made a big, big difference. It makes us so happy to see Ella has something that is for her. Her disability takes a lot away from her. She’s non-verbal.
“She can’t move independently. She can’t sit, stand, or walk. So, the fact that she gets to go on a run, socialise, do races, really brought a lot of joy to our family. We love seeing how happy it makes her life.”
Ella and the Ballymun Athletics Club doing the Dublin Half Marathon in the Phoenix Park
The chairs are worth €1,100, and Chris doesn’t want other families missing out because they may not have the income.
“We’re a family with limited means. I’m a carer with my wife, we both care for our daughter. We got the money for it, and I thought other people or clubs mightn’t have the money for a buggy like this.
“We set this fundraiser up for those people. It gives us the chance to be able to give this gift to them and say, there you go.
“Ballymun AC has really embraced myself and Ella and wrapped the club around us for this marathon. We have two of the committee members running it with us, with my brother-in-law, among others.
“Keith Duffy heard of the Go Fund Me and he decided to donate a chair to our club on behalf of the Keith Duffy Foundation.
“It’ll be quite emotional when she [Ella] gets her Dublin Marathon medal, it’s a big achievement for her. It’s a big achievement for myself, my brother-in-law, and the team at Ballymun Athletics Club. People are very supportive; you’d hear them call out ‘go team Ella’.”
