Run for the Kids 2019: Royal Children’s Hospital team get set to run

One of Melbourne’s favourite running events is just around the corner, and among thousands taking part will be a very enthusiastic team from the Royal Children’s Hospital.

One of Melbourne’s favourite running events, Herald Sun/Transurban Run for the Kids, is just around the corner, and among the thousands of runners taking up the challenge will be a very committed and enthusiastic team from the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Under the guidance of program manager Harry Brown, young people from the RCH’s Chronic Illness Peer Support group will team up and support each other through the popular fundraising event.

“Doing Run for the Kids has been a tradition of the CHIPS department for at least 10 years,” Mr Brown said.

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The CHIPS group assists young people aged 12-25 who have varying chronic illnesses by providing them with a support network and various recreational activities.

“A lot of the young people in the CHIPS group say it gets them through their hardest times,” Mr Brown said.

Jake Cunningham, Stella Hemingway, Michael Arkalis, Tina Nelson and Brooke Dance are avid Royal Children’s Hospital supporters. Picture: Tony Gough

“A lot of them talk about how before CHIPS they didn’t have any social life, no friends, nothing to do and were struggling with their mental health. In the program they find a bit of meaning.”

For the CHIPS team Run for the Kids is purely about having fun and feeling a sense of accomplishment at the end.

“We stick together and we’ll travel at the pace of the slowest person in the group,” Mr Brown said.

Since Run for the Kids started in 2006, runners have enjoyed the unique atmosphere as people of all fitness abilities unite to raise funds for the RCH’s Good Friday Appeal.

This year there are significant changes, including two new courses where every entrant will get to experience the spectacular city vistas running over the Bolte Bridge, and a new start and finish location at Docklands.

Run for the Kids 2019 is on Sunday, April 7. Entries are now open.