Musician defies injury for charity run
A Gwynedd musician-in-residence defied doctor’s orders to run a half marathon to raise money for a charity she cares passionately about.
Nia Davies Williams, 46, who works at Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd Care Home in Caernarfon, tackled the Cardiff Half Marathon despite having badly bruised ribs.
Nia, a leading authority on the use of music in the care of people with dementia, raised £200 for Music in Hospitals and Care in Wales.
Last year her work at Bryn Seiont Newydd was rewarded with the Sir Bryn Terfel Foundation Wales Care Award for Promoting the Arts in Social Care.
She said: “I really wasn’t sure I was going to be able to take part and my doctor’s advice was that I shouldn’t run as it would be too painful.
“But I thought I’d give it a go and it wasn’t too bad.
“I did the same run last year and actually my finishing times were within seconds of each other.
“I wanted to raise funds for Music in Hospitals and Care in Wales that works to take live music to patients or those in a care environment.
“I’m an ambassador for the charity and we provide a variety of musicians to hospices, care homes and hospitals to play for patients and residents.
“It’s about matching the right musicians to the patients.
“Music has the power to help people who are sick or in need of care. It’s relaxing and can both inspire and improve a patient’s general wellbeing.”
“I went to the GP and was told I shouldn’t run but when you see cancer victims and other sick people lining up to race I just thought I had to give it a go.”
Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft MBE said: “The arts are central to much of what we do at Pendine Park and Nia is absolutely right when she says music has the power to help hospital patients and those living in a care environment.
“My wife, Gill and I are always amazed and inspired at the fundraising efforts of our staff.”
To find out more about the charity Music in Hospitals and Care go to www.mihc.org.uk/wales