A WOKINGHAM businessman is running a 100km to raise £100,000 for sick children thousands of miles away.
Karl Thompson, 55, came up with the idea after a worktime pint with two colleagues.
Earlier this week, the MD of Unique Vacations UK, jetted off to the island of Antigua with a group of friends from a number of travel firms.
They plan to run the equivalent of two marathons over four days in the blistering Caribbean heat as part of the inaugural Sandals Foundation Island Run.
The group has already raised just over £80,000 with all money raised being donated to the SickKids Caribbean Initiative and the Paediatric Unit of Mount St John’s Medical Centre in Antigua.
“I only really started running during the covid pandemic to help keep my mental health in check,” explained Karl.
“Now I regularly run around 20 miles each weekend. Although this is going to be a really tough physical and mental challenge, I think the camaraderie of the team will be amazing.
“We all share the same goal which is to raise as much money as we can to make a difference to children in desperate need of medical care. And what better place to do it than in the Caribbean itself and the beautiful island of Antigua?”
The route starts and ends at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa and takes in some of the sights of Antigua including Jolly Harbour, English Harbour, Nelson’s Dockyard and the Sir Vivian Richards’ Cricket Stadium.
The team taking part in the race will also be visiting projects sponsored by the Sandals Foundation at the end of each day, including The Paediatric Unit at Mount St John’s Medical Centre, to see firsthand what a difference the money raised will make to children and their families.
“I’m a red head so I burn easily and don’t usually enjoy the heat so I have been running every day to get up the pace,” added Karl.
“The temperature in Antigua is currently around 35°C. We’ll be starting every morning at 6am and running in 90° humidity. It will be tough but we are keen to meet and exceed our target for the two causes which do such wonderful work.”
He continued: “The SickKids Caribbean Initiative is on a mission to improve the lives of children diagnosed with paediatric cancer and blood disorders. By connecting Caribbean doctors and nurses to the world, the Sandals Foundation will help them make an even bigger difference for those who need it the most.”
The collaboration between SCI and the Sandals Foundation has helped establish the Eastern Caribbean’s only oncology unit, as well as the development of seven telemedicine facilities in six countries. It has also helped fund the training of five Caribbean paediatricians and 41 nurses in haematology and oncology, as well as data collection of children with sickle cell disease and cancer.
The Paediatric Unit at Mount St. John’s Medical Centre in Antigua is the only acute care facility on the island which offers 24-hour emergency care, giving babies in need of critical care and those born prematurely a better fighting chance.
With more than 1,500 admissions since 2015, the Sandals Foundation’s donation of two Comprehensive Infant Care Centres and other medical equipment has aided the success of the neonatal department’s service.
The proceeds from The Sandals Foundation Island Run – Antigua 2023 will be used to purchase much-needed medical equipment, giving newborns a better chance of survival.
