Hope Classic raises spina bifida awareness
Brad Hagkull and son Ben (foreground), along with fellow family members, are gearing up for this weekend's Hope Classic, a run-walk-wheel event to raise money for spina bifida and hydrocephalus research.
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Updated: August 12, 2009 9:47 AM
The Hope River Classic has a new name.
Chilliwack's fourth annual run, walk, wheel event, raising awareness and funds for the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of British Columbia, has dropped the river from its name and is now the Hope Classic.
Why? you ask.
It's gone national baby!
Five years ago, Chilliwack residents Brad and Sheryl Hagkull got the ball rolling for an all-inclusive, awareness-raising event in support of spina bifida, the number one disabling birth defect in Canada resulting from the incomplete development of the spinal cord.
Spina bifida can cause varying degrees of paralysis, bowel and bladder dysfunction, and in some cases, limited hand function, and visual, hearing and learning disabilities.
The Hagkulls 10-year-old son Ben was born with spina bifida.
"My wife and I have been on the receiving end of the spina bifida association for a long time," said Brad. "We wanted to give back to them."
The Hagkulls didn't want to create a golf tournament, though, or hold a pub night – they wanted something that their son and other kids just like him could participate in.
And so, the 5K and 8K fun run, walk, wheel event was born.
"In the last three years, we've had so many kids come out with all kinds of neat contraptions," said Brad. "It's quite the eye opener."
Every year, the event has averaged approximately 300 participants give or take, and $30,000 in donations.
And now, the awareness-building event is being spread across the country.
Earlier this year, the spina bifida association contacted the organizers with its intent of holding similar such events across Canada.
Eight Hope Classics in total will be held.
"[The association] saw our success and wanted to replicate it in other provinces; they saw it as a great awareness-building event," said Brad.
"It's tremendously exciting to see something like this blossom."
Chilliwack's Hope Classic is on Aug. 15, starting at 9 a.m. at the Lions Club Hall on Hope River Road.
Patrick Anderson, a wheelchair basketball player who's competed in the last three paralympics, will be speaking at the event.
For more information, or to register, go to the website www.hopeclassicbc.com.
krobinson@theprogress.com
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