Our mission:
Run On connects Athletes in wheelchairs with the runners who push them.
At four years old, Mack and Cam became best friends. An unlikely pair, Mack pushed Cam’s wheelchair to class and Cam held onto Mack’s books. They made a great team.
As they got older, Mack learned that Cam had Cerebral Palsy, meaning he couldn’t walk or talk, but that never stopped him from doing everything Mack did.
They would jet ski, go to school dances, and run races.
22 years later, Mack and Cam are still running races together, and they help other to do the same.
In 2015, Mack founded Run On. Now other students in wheelchairs can have the same experience Cam did.
Why running?
High school can be an isolating experience for someone in a wheelchair. School was hard for Kate because students were intimidated by her disability. They were kind in class, but avoided meaningful relationships.
Run On helps students in wheelchairs like Kate overcome this isolation by connecting them with volunteers who want to push them in races. Wheelchair bound students get to experience a lot of firsts: feeling a gust of wind in their faces as they move faster than they ever thought possible, getting that rush of adrenaline and pride as they beat their peers, and the life-long friendships that come from being a part of a team.
“Athlete” with a capital “A”
Run On's students in wheelchairs are Athletes in every sense of the word. With specialized running wheelchairs, they run the same warm ups, the same practices, and the same races as everyone else. They compete, win, lose, sweat, and wear a jersey.
Families of Run On Athletes report better grades, higher graduation rate and college attendance, and improved social skills. Through Run On, our Athletes come out of their shells; they make friends, join other groups at their school, and attend dances. Many Run On Athletes have been elected as prom kings and homecoming queens!
High schools that adopt Run On report a more empathetic, inclusive, and collaborative student body, with decreased levels of bullying.
“This program has had a ripple effect in our school. From the person in the chair, to the team who gets to push, to the families who get to watch. Run On has changed our school and has taken away any limits we had on our special needs students.”
-Marie Glahn, High School Special Needs Teacher and Track Coach
What happens after graduation?
Without the structure of high school, our students in wheelchairs often find themselves sitting alone at home or in care facilities. Summer break and graduation can eliminate the opportunity for our Athletes to get outside and make new friends.
Run On has partnered with 5k's up to full marathons who let Athletes race for free. With over 100 volunteers signed up to push, Run On can help the ever growing number of Athletes run, compete, and connect.