Running
Wings for Life World Run: Why you should take part
The event takes place around the world this weekend, and funds research to cure spinal cord injury.
One of the most innovative and unusual running races in the world kicks off this Sunday: the Wings for Life World Run.
The event is committed to raising as much awareness and funds as possible towards the global movement to find a cure for spinal cord injury. It has created an app (available on Apple App store and Google Play) to help you train and to allow people to take part from anywhere in the world, organised huge events in urban centres and put celebrity athletes in the seats of the event’s signature Catcher Cars.
They're doing all of this to enable and encourage as many people everywhere to run for those who can’t.
Spinal cord injury is a devastating affliction that can cause much more than just paralysis. It can lead to chronic pain, bladder dysfunction, the loss of a person's ability to regulate their temperature and, not least of all, it can deeply affect an individual's psychological wellbeing.
Joachim is just one of the thousands taking part this Sunday.
He'll be running for his three-year-old boy Isak, who suffers from spinal-cord injury, as well as the hundreds of thousands of others experiencing the same problems across the globe.
He hopes, "one day that I will be able to participate with Isak."
2 min
Wings for Life World Run: Joachim runs for his son
Joachim, Isak’s father, takes us on a journey from despair to hope and inspiration.
Dr Rosie Lederer, Wings for Life’s scientific co-ordinator, told us about the "multi-level process" which she leads to ensure the money raised exactly where it's needed.
Hopeful scientists fill out a Wings for Life research grant application, explaining their research proposal, and preliminary data they may have collected.
Around 250 groups from around the world try to secure funding each year, hoping they can prove they have new ideas that are in line with Wings for Life’s vision and the expertise and skills to carry out the work. "It may seem a lot, but when you think of how much needs to be investigated in spinal cord research, the number of applications does not seem that high," explains Lederer.
Once they make it through the first stage of vetting, the 10-page documents are passed onto external independent experts and are bounced between various members of the team until they’re satisfied.
Rosi Lederer at an annual meeting in Salzburg
© Mathias Lixl/Red Bull Content Pool
The number of projects Wings for Life can support is dependent on how much money is raised on race day, they can sometimes support as many as 20 new projects in a year – while also factoring in the various studies that are ongoing.
The more donations Wings for Life receives, the more projects we are able to support financially.
For the past 13 years, Wings for Life has funded life-changing research projects and clinical trials around the globe.
Every penny of the Wings for Life World Run entry fees and fundraising goes straight toward Wings for Life’s ultimate goal, providing crucial backing for basic research and laboratory work with up to 100,000 euros annually per project and clinical studies, whose costs can run up to several million euros a year.
The work is hard but progress is being made, steadily. "To date, we have supported 142 research projects and clinical trials," added Lederer.
Every step taken at the Wings For Life World Run and with the Wings for Life World Run App is a step in the right direction.
Wing for Life World Run takes place at the same exact time all around the world on Sunday May 7 and all the action will be shown live on Red Bull TV. For more information, including how to take part, visit WingsForLifeWorldRun.com.
