MATT SET FOR NEW YORK CITY MARATHON
After conquering London earlier this year, Matt Hampson is preparing for a second marathon, this time in New York.
During almost a year-and-a-half in hospital following the accident which changed his life and its impact on others in 2005, Matt had a picture of the New York skyline on his wall which provided inspiration and aspiration for the future.
Now he is on his way to take part in the city’s marathon with his team of support runners.
Following the accident in which he was paralysed from the neck down and breathing via a ventilator following injury, Matt decided to focus on what he could still do rather than what he could not and vowed to ‘get busy living’.
Awareness
He created the Foundation as a charity to help other young people following life-changing injury in sporting activity and opened its unique Get Busy Living Centre near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire to provide physical and emotional support including specialist physiotherapy and personal training, counselling, wellbeing and mentorship.
The Centre is now being extended to welcome even more beneficiaries and Matt’s participation in London earlier this year raised significant awareness of the Foundation’s work as well as funds to support it.
He conquered his ‘Everest’ by finishing a debut marathon with his supporters in a time of under five hours. Now he is going for a double at the TCS New York City Marathon in November, fulfilling those goals set in hospital.
“The support we had in London and seeing our beneficiaries doing amazing things in their own lives every day inspired me to try again,” Matt says.
“I’m delighted to get a place for me and the team in New York and we’ve already started training towards it.”
Matt’s Marathon – photo gallery from the Foundation team effort in London
