AH, THE SPORTING LIFE
22,000 runners, joggers and walkers take part in annual 10-kilometre run to support Camp Oochigeas, which helps kids affected by cancer,
On Mother’s Day, Kathleen Padulo and her 11-year-old daughter, Neve, ran the Sporting Life 10K, which raises money to support Camp Oochigeas, a camp for children affected by cancer.
The run had special significance for the pair: Neve was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 3 and has been attending the camp — affectionately called Camp Ooch — since she was 5 years old.
“It was really good,” Neve said of the run. “Really fun.”
More than 22,000 people ran, walked and jogged down Yonge St. Sunday in the annual 10-kilometre event, which is cosponsored by the Star.
This year, 40 families who have had children attend Camp Ooch participated in the race, the highest number ever, said Lisa Nightingale, the communications officer for Camp Ooch.
Sunday was Neve’s first time doing the run.
“I wanted to do it last year, but my mom forgot to sign me up,” she points out, laughing.
She loves camp, she said, adding it feels like a family where everyone is welcome.
“Camp Ooch is a big part of the healing process,” her mother said. “I think without Camp Ooch, I don’t know if we’d be here today.”
Padulo has been doing the run since Neve first attended the camp.
“(Camp) was an integral part of our life because she couldn’t go to regular activities,” Padulo said.
“(Neve) had to go to a safe place where there were doctors, where there were nurses. And everybody was so friendly and helpful. It was a place where she could be a kid.”
Camp Ooch makes it possible for kids with cancer to attend camp by having on-site chemotherapy and blood transfusions.
“It’s events like the Sporting Life 10K that allow us to send more kids who need that sophisticated kind of care to a camp that has a medical facility to be able to manage their health care while giving them a chance to experience camp,” said Alex Robertson, the CEO of Camp Ooch.
Peter Evans, also known by his camp name, Hawk, is a longtime volunteer at Camp Ooch.
He and four of his friends dressed up as members of the Justice League this year to do the run.
“We’re all volunteers so we all know how important this camp is,” Evans said.
Collectively, they raised $37,000 leading up to the race.
“The kids are some of the nicest, sweetest, most genuine kids you can meet,” Evans said.
“The interesting part about Camp Ooch is they show up and they talk and they operate like adults . . . it’s because a lot of their childhood life they’ve been around adults and doctors and they’ve never had a chance to be silly and act like kids.”
The camp transforms them, Evans said.
“As long as I’m able to, I’ll be back every year,” he added.