Every parent will push a buggy, but not any parent will do so in this manner. Gary Jones will run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool Marathon on 14 June while pushing his eight-year-old son, Ben, in a buggy.
However, Gary hasn’t always been a runner. He started running for Ben, who at the age of four was diagnosed with a rare developmental disorder called Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMS).
PMS is caused by the deletion, or loss, of the terminal segment of the long arm of chromosome 22. Although symptoms may vary, it is generally thought to be characterized by low muscle tone, normal to accelerated growth, absent to severely delayed speech, moderate to profound mental retardation, and minor dysmorphic features. In addition, Ben has an increased tolerance to pain and has also been diagnosed with ADHD.
Gary decided to run with Ben after he participated in a virtual 5K race put on by the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation. He realised that running with Ben not only provides a way to relieve stress and bond with his son, but also helps stimulate Ben’s sensory needs.
Inspiring Gary, he started running in more races on behalf of PMS, running last year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool Half Marathon and this year’s EDP Rock ‘n’ Roll Madrid Half Marathon, all while pushing Ben.
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool Marathon is the next big race on his running calendar and a big step up to the full marathon distance. Gary will once again be running with Ben to raise funds and awareness for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool participants are also encouraged to ‘Run with Ben’. This can be done by answering ‘Yes’ when prompted to be part of the campaign during the 5k registration process. Those who select to be on the ‘Run with Ben’ team will receive a t-shirt and a donation will be made to one of Ben’s chosen charities. The ‘Run with Ben’ promotion applies to the new 5K on Saturday only.
Despite all his challenges Ben remains a very brave and happy little man, and brings a smile to everywhere he goes. A lesson many of us can learn from.
To donate to Ben’s appeal, you can do so on his website: bensbuggyruns.com. For information about Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool or to register for the race, please visit: runrocknroll.com/liverpool.
