UL Hospitals in Olympic Spirit with 5k Run/Walk
Members of the public are being invited to participate in UL Hospitals' Charity 5km Run/Walk around Dooradoyle/Raheen on Friday August 19th.
The event forms part of the group’s Healthy Ireland agenda, recognising UL Hospitals’ crucial role in promoting the health and wellness of the staff it employs and the population it serves. That commitment to health and wellbeing was recently formalised through the publication of the group’s Healthy Ireland Implementation Plan 2016-2019.
The run/walk is about promoting exercise and physical fitness but also mental health and wellbeing. And those who support the event will also be helping those at risk of suicide and self-harm in the Mid-West with all proceeds going to Pieta House.
Over 200 staff and members of the public participated in the run/walk in 2015, raising almost €2,500 in the process for assessment and therapy services run in Limerick by Pieta House. Friday August 19th is the day of the Walking Finals in Rio and UL Hospitals Group is encouraging people, if running is not their thing, to walk the route... even if not at an Olympic pace!
Staff at UHL, Nenagh and Croom hospitals are already getting into the Olympic spirit and have been in training for a number of weeks ahead of the event. “With their help, we hope to surpass the numbers who participated last year and in the process raise funds for a very deserving cause,” said Laura Tobin, Project Lead for Health & Wellbeing, UL Hospitals Group, a physiotherapist by profession.
“They can run or, if the prefer, they can walk. Walking is a great form of aerobic exercise.”
A €10 entry fee applies for runners and walkers, who will each get a T-shirt and an official time on crossing the finish line on August 19th. There will be prizes for the first three male and female participants to finish as well as for the first walker home.
Registration takes place at the canteen at UHL from 12 noon to 2pm on Tuesday August 16th and Thursday August 18th. Participants can also register ahead of the run/walk itself from 4pm to 6pm on August 19th at the main hospital reception. The starting gun fires at 6.30pm.
Hugh Brady, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Lead, Health and Wellbeing, UL Hospitals Group, said: “We are extending an invitation to the public and again to all our staff over the six hospitals in our group to surpass the great turnout last year.”