Lowvelder spearheads autism awareness run
A collective 2000km ran by 65 runners to spread awareness of autism.
A local, Emma Bailey, is making massive strides in raising awareness for autism this April by completing a collective 2 000km alongside 65 other runners from KwaZulu-Natal, Johannesburg, Cape Town, the UK and Australia.
Bailey (26), the owner and founder of Guiding Growth, a behaviour therapy centre offering one-on-one sessions for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental delays, is based in Mbombela. She spearheaded this mammoth mission in honour of World Autism Awareness Month, which is in April.
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This behaviour therapist told Lowvelder she had amassed 2 000km with her team of 65 runners as of Wednesday April 17.
She said they are tracking their distances on Strava, and that her own personal goal is to reach 100km by the end of April. She is currently on 65km.
Born and raised in the Lowveld, Bailey had worked in Johannesburg, Rwanda and Malawi for a while, before recently moving back to Mbombela. It was in May last year that she opened the centre, and she said she has a burning passion for working with children who have autism or other developmental delays. She said she opened the centre here because she felt there weren’t many resources in the Lowveld for families with children with autism.
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She said she chose running as the mode of raising awareness, because she felt the sport brings people together and does not cater to a certain gender, age or functionality, but is instead inclusive to all.
A local friend and supporter of Bailey, Kath Bailie, said the strides Bailey and her team make go beyond mere physical distances. “They are cultivating a supportive environment, as demonstrated by the support on Strava and WhatsApp groups to engage and connect runners. The engagement they have ignited is not solely about the kilometres covered, but the shared dedication towards autism awareness,” said Bailie.
She said not only has Bailey given these children a voice, but also a pathway to run alongside everyone else. “She proves that with patience, devotion and a pair of running shoes, the journey towards change can indeed be a collective sprint forward.”
To find out more information about future challenges, contact Bailey on 079 030 1731.
