Tuesday 20th April 2010
Neil Campbell, General Manager of IFI Accredited Equipment Supplier Octane will be taking to the streets of London to raise money for Whizz Kids, a charity which supports young wheelchair users to enjoy an active childhood.
Neil has been a committed supporter of the IFI for a number of years and has gained IFI Stage 2 Accreditation for the Octane Pro 3700 Cross Trainer, which has been adapted to ensure inclusivity for both disabled and non-disabled people. Having sustained a running injury last year, Neil has overcome many challenges to gain enough fitness to run the London Marathon in April. He would like to take this opportunity to raise money for children who may not currently have access or opportunity to have an active childhood. "I had always taken being fit and well for granted. Other than the odd injury, or niggles and aches, I could always do more or less what I wanted to do. When I tore my knee tendon last year, I spent October and November in a full leg cast, December on crutches, January still walking with a limp and I still couldn’t do stairs in February. My physio believes it will be 12 months before I am fully recovered… I did manage to start using the IFI Accredited Octane Cross Trainer though, even before I was able to walk without crutches! Impact and a lack of any control or stability were a problem while walking. So once I had accessed the Cross Trainer, I could do very slow movements with the support of holding on to the handles of the machine. Strength and flexibility followed, using an IFI Accredited Power Plate, which allowed me to start bending my knee far enough that I could move more easily. I still cannot use a bike but I managed to do a jog in March and have done 8 jogs in total. I have lost all fitness and my leg has shrunk to the size of a chickens! I know how hard the marathon is, if you do 6 months training for it… I decided to run (well, jog, or maybe crawl) at short notice, along with my wife Sarah and a friend of ours Grainne, to raise as much money as possible for Whizz Kidz. This is a great charity which helps kids who don't have the ability so many of us take for granted. Whizz Kidz is a charity that helps children have a more independent life, helping their mobility needs and giving support for their families. Any contribution you can spare would be fantastic to help all 3 of us on our marathon effort!" If you can help support Neil with his fundraising, please click here to donate. If you would like more information about Whizz Kids please visit www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/
