Manawatu walks for a cure
A sea of red tutus, Minnie Mouse ears and painted faces swept through the Ashhurst Domain on Sunday for Cure Kids.
The annual Manawatu fun run brought people together from all over the area to raise awareness of children living in illness.
Rebecca Woodcock and her husband Baz travelled from Opiki to run alongside their daughter Sylvia for the 10-kilometre race.
Sylvia, 9, has type one diabetes.
Baz Woodcock said the Red Walk was a great way to raise awareness for children living with a range of illnesses, from ADHD, to diabetes, cancer and allergies.
Sylvia Woodcock said her favourite part of the day was getting lollies at the end of the race.
Palmerston North resident Kim Zentreld was one of the members of the ‘Tight 5’ group that walked in the race.
The five women donned red tutus and walked 5km flanked by about eight children.
Zentreld said she was there to support a friend’s daughter, Quinn Hautapu, who was in remission after battling brain cancer.
She said it was a good cause that raised awareness, support and money for children.
Palmerston North resident Elise Middleton was walking for her daughter Nova, 3, who had a severe anaphylactic reaction to many foods.
She said she first realised her daughter was an anaphylactic when feeding her an egg when she was 18 months old.
‘‘She was trying a bit of egg on the end of a spoon. It was a rush to the hospital from there.’’
Her other daughter Imogen Middleton, 9, who walked 5km, said the fun run was supporting people who were sick and others who were cure kids.
Organiser Laurel Winiata said the number of registrations had doubled from last year’s event with 315 registrations the night before the walk.
Winiata said Red Walk was about raising awareness for children with a range of illnesses and disorders.