At Niemann-Pick UK we are dedicated to supporting those living with the rare and fatal Niemann-Pick diseases, but to continue our work we are heavily reliant on grants and voluntary donations. A large portion of these voluntary donations come as a result of our fantastic fundraisers…which is why we have came up with ten of our top reasons to get involved, and support us by running on behalf of NPUK:
Running for NPUK is so easy! We take the pressure off the often confusing application/ballot process, and are always a phone call or email away if you have any questions along the way. You also don’t have to be the next Mo Farah to run in support of our charity…we have a number of shorter runs, and it doesn’t matter if you run them, jog them, or walk them – what matters is you taking part and flying the flag in support of those affected by Niemann-Pick disease.
If you are running just for running’s sake then it is likely any training will get left on the back-burner! You may even change your mind and decide that without an actual cause there is not enough reason to get involved at all! But when running for Niemann-Pick UK you can see there is a deeper purpose…as any funds you raise in the process will make a direct positive impact to those that our charity supports. To put it simply…
We’ve all been there (even Rocky Balboa), you lose your way with training…one day rolls into the next, and suddenly you can’t ever see yourself getting back into the swing of a regime. However you will be more likely to battle through those early mornings and cold wet nights if you know NPUK are relying on your support – this is quadrupled if you are running in direct support of someone who is affected by Niemann-Pick disease…as you will be provided with that extra motivation to go the distance.
As mentioned above there may be a personal reason for you wanting to run for NPUK; you may have a family member, or a friend affected by Niemann-Pick disease – or it may be that you have been deeply moved by someone’s story. Running for NPUK will undoubtedly help you feel like you’re doing your bit for our cause…and it may mean you are able to encourage one of your friends to run for us too. Fantastic fundraising examples in our community include Hope for Hollie, TeamRoman and Pride in Lleyton.
At NPUK we try to go above and beyond to offer as much support and back-up as we possibly can! We can assist with everything from broadcasting your message, to producing flyers and posts for social media. Also if you ever need help and reassurance at any point during your fundraising prep you can email us at info@npuk.org or phone us on 0191 415 0693…if you’re supporting our community then you are a friend, and we take good care of our friends around here!
Both in the build up to the run (perhaps at the gym or as part of a running club) and on the actual race day, there will no doubt be a whole host of other charity runners who are in the same boat as you! This helps massively as it means you’ll never be without someone to turn to should you be nervous, unsure, or start to doubt yourself. On the actual day of the run there is always a true sense of camaraderie amongst fellow charity runners…it’s a beautiful thing!
More often than not you will see familiar friendly NPUK faces at the sidelines willing you on if you ever start to struggle…in fact there may be a few who are taking part alongside you! Either way you will feel extremely well supported, which will help remind you of the motivation behind your heroic run.
If you are a UK taxpayer then you can benefit NPUK even further by adding your address to your sponsor form or online page…by providing this information we will then receive an extra 25 per cent, e.g: for every £1 raised we will actually get £1.25! This little extra can make an enormous difference to our work.
If you take your training seriously then you will likely be a lot fitter than you’ve been for some time…or perhaps, ever! We like to think of our fundraisers as superheroes as they do so much to help our cause by getting involved, but by training for a run you will look like one too – namely a fitter, healthier, and more active you. Move over Captain America and Wonder Woman!
The recent Rare Disease Day was a great way to raise the profile of Niemann-Pick disease and other rare diseases…but for us awareness is not just one day, it’s all year around. High profile race events such as the London Marathon and the Great North Run are unrivalled opportunities for us to raise awareness of both our charity and Niemann-Pick disease at large.
By having runners (perhaps you?) donning our NPUK running vests we can help bring our cause to the wider public consciousness. Also during the course of your own fundraising you‘ll also be doing a great deal to highlight NPUK and our efforts in helping the individuals, families, and friends affected by this devastating group of diseases…it’s difficult to put into words just how much impact you could have, just know this – we need you.
