Three North Coast dads have come together with a common goal. Christian Mkhize, Ross Rutherfoord and Jon Roberts are running the Comrades Marathon this month to raise awareness and funds for Bloom Special Needs School.
The idea to complete what has been dubbed ‘a bloomin’ long run’ came to Jon one morning while he was dropping his son Luke at school. He phoned Ross, an old school friend, and quickly convinced him to join. When they heard that their friend Christian was also training for Comrades, they got him involved, and together the dads embarked on a mission to run for a cause close to their hearts.
Jon is a dad to three children, Luke, Holly and Josie, and husband to Jess. Luke has Down Syndrome and has been at Bloom for four years. In running the race, Jon hopes to raise awareness about special needs and help the growth of the school by attracting donors. “Bloom has been a sanctuary and a place of hope and growth for our family,” he says. “We, and the entire North Coast community, have a vested interest in the future of Bloom.”
As the dad of a child with special needs, he admits there have been some challenges, but parenting gives him and Jess profound joy. “Luke is a light in our lives,” he says. “He has taught and continues to teach us many valuable lessons.”
Dad to two young boys, Christian has a special connection to Bloom as his wife Kirstie has worked at the school since it first opened 10 years ago. His sons Paddy and Charlie have attended Kingdom Kids, Bloom’s mainstream pre-school. “Bloom is very close to our hearts as a family,” he says.
Having personally been part of Bloom’s journey over the years, Christian was inspired to do his bit in raising funds for the school. “I hope this race will show people that we all have the ability to make a difference, no matter how big or small,” he says. “Personally, running this race is part of pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. My journey to the starting line has been incredibly difficult as I struggled to qualify. Now that I have done so, I’m focused on trying to recover from an ITB injury before the big day.”
Although Christian doesn’t have a child of his own with special needs, he has developed close relationships with those who do. “I have witnessed the love and patience that the parents and teachers at the school put into looking after the children, and I have learned a lot from them,” he says. “I hope to inspire everyone out there not to give up on their goals, no matter how hard it gets. If you have your mind set on something and have faith that you will achieve it, you can do it.”
Ross and his wife Lexi also have two young children, Nina and Jos. Nina has epilepsy, which has resulted in delayed development. The family moved to Salt Rock four years ago in search of extra support and to be closer to Bloom. “We are lucky to have an incredible team around Nina who are all part of the journey,” says Ross.
Ross says he really appreciates the support he and his family have received from Bloom and hopes that by running the race, he can create some awareness about the work that the school does for kids, parents and the special needs community in general. “Running is a challenge, but it’s nothing like the stuff these kids endure daily,” he says. “It’s a little reminder to be grateful for your bundle.”
Being a parent to a child with special needs has been a learning experience for Ross and Lexi. “It’s been a wild ride with a lot more questions than answers, but like anyone with kids, we absolutely love them,” he says. “We celebrate and find joy in the smallest things. Nina’s got a wicked little sense of humour, and she’s an incredibly loving and tough little girl who continues to grow and surprise us. It’s a journey, teaching us, our families, and friends some pretty cool lessons.”
The funds raised by the runners will go towards the Supported Employment Programme (SET), which aims to equip Bloom children with skills that they’ll need as they get older. This includes interpersonal skills, money management, cooking, gardening, and employment and vocational skills.
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Details: www.bloomcentre.co.za; 032 815 2701; IG: @bloomschoolsa; @a_bloomin_long_run
