Yara's 1,000 km run in support of SickKids
On May 3, Yara laced up her runners and started a 100-day challenge that will see her using her love of running to raise funds for SickKids. As a former employee of The Hospital for Sick Children, Yara wants to give back to a place that changed her life.“The hospital has world-class professionals who are compassionate and dedicated,” said Yara. “I am extremely grateful that I was able to learn from them and be part of the SickKids team.”
Although her career aspirations have taken her on a new path (she is studying law in British Columbia) she still wanted to maintain a connection with the SickKids community. “Yara’s 1,000 km run in support of SickKids” is the way that she is going to do that.
Each day on her 100-day challenge, Yara will run 10 kilometres. Sporting a neon yellow ribbon with her challenge written across it, Yara is not hard to miss on her daily runs on the streets of downtown Toronto. Often up before the sun rises and the streets get busy, Yara shakes off the desire to get an extra hour of sleep and becomes energized knowing that she is running for a good cause.
“It is the moment when I am running to a good music beat, watching the sunrise by the lake and knowing that I am doing something meaningful.”
"I believe that the necessary medical care should be a right, not a privilege."
On another day, eight colleagues dressed up in superhero costumes and joined Yara in the pouring rain for her 13 km run, where they drew a puppy with their 20,126 steps across the city.
It is these small moments that have excited Yara the most. And she hopes more of these small moments continue and people will continue to be inspired and join her in making a difference by either running with her, spreading awareness about her challenge or, most importantly, donating to SickKids.
The funds raised throughout Yara’s 1,000 km run will support The Herbie Fund, which provides financial support to international patients whose conditions cannot be treated in their home countries.
“During my work at SickKids, I saw some children from around the world come for surgeries,” said Yara. “I believe that the necessary medical care should be a right, not a privilege. Some children do not have that right in other countries. I want to help make medical care possible for them.”
Interested in supporting Yara in her challenge? You can check out her donation page or follow along on her daily runs on her Facebook page. Yara would love to have more people come out and join her as well, so please reach out to her on her Facebook page if you are interested in lacing up your runners one day.
