Ruben & Elena future Quadkidz

Mark Evans-Guillen has just joined and his twins Ruben and Elena aged 9 to the BQA QuadKidz, their aim next season is to do all 3 of the Quadkidz races! We certainly look forward to welcoming them to the Quadkidz family next season! This year they ran 100km this year to raise money for the local hospital. Ruben and Elena both have ADHD, running activities such as this help to manage their ADHD symptoms by challenging their hyperactivity and improving their overall sense of mental balance and well-being. In addition, it gives them increased self-esteem and a strong sense of community values. Read this very inspiring local story and lear about the benefits of being active for children and communities.

By Mark Evans-Guillen:

Since the back end of 2017, myself and my two twin children Ruben and Elena from Cheshire, UK have been involved almost every weekend in a series of fundraising events to raise money towards an outside play area for the Children’s Ward at Warrington & Halton Hospital. The fund raising project is called Running4 Dr Ozzy (Dr Ozzy is the mascot for the Children’ Ward at Warrington & Halton Hospital). The garden is half complete, so funding is required to purchase the play equipment.

The big challenge for them was to complete 100 Kilometres of running during 2018 and I am pleased to let you know that we are well on track to achieve that target. This challenge involves a variety of events, such as fun-runs, trail adventure running and obstacle courses. It is a great range of efforts for a great cause. However, this is also very much a family challenge involving both us parents to run with the kids every step of the way. It also has huge benefits for Ruben and Elena as they are both diagnosed with ADHD. Running activities such as this help to manage their ADHD symptoms by challenging their hyperactivity and improving their overall sense of mental balance and well-being. In addition, it gives them increased self-esteem and a strong sense of community values.

Hospital is always a difficult and for many, a frightening place for young children no matter what their medical issues are and we are trying to build some normality in to their lives. The new outside play area will carry the nautical theme along with Dr Ozzy. This new area will include interactive games, sensory garden, covered area and wheelchair access including a pirate ship!

However, the most ground-breaking part of this new play area is the plan to create an easy bed access to the area to invite children patients who are not able to leave their beds to be able to join in and experience something other than the four walls of the ward. It will provide access for children who cannot move from their beds to have all-year round access to an excellent play area. No doubt it will make a huge difference for the kids. There are over 30,000 child patients within the Children’s Ward, so it is vital for our town.