Muscular Help Foundation charity co-founder and Polar adventurer Michael McGrath is set to turn the daunting GRIM8 off-road fundraiser into the GRIM 98 as he breaks the charity’s own record for the largest ever team entry this Saturday (5th Dec 2009).
Hertfordshire-based Michael has recruited almost 100 volunteer ‘Muscle WarriorsTM’ to take part in the event to raise money for the Foundation’s Muscle DreamsTM programme. This year his growing army of Muscle WarriorsTM will receive a massive Muscle HakaTM send-off thanks to London based Maori Community Club Ngati Ranana.
Muscle DreamsTM provide amazing experiences in the UK to children and young people afflicted by the muscle wasting disease muscular dystrophy – helping them live a dream or fulfil a cherished ambition such as enjoying the thrill of a Ferrari, receiving a personal message from Lord Alan Sugar of The Apprentice (a Muscle DreamTM recently delivered to a young boy by the name of Jordan who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy), meeting the presenters of BBC’s Top Gear programme or enjoying some top VIP hospitality whilst watching their favourite sport.
The GRIM8 is an eight-mile off-road adventure course through mud, slime and water on MOD land used by the Army to test out army vehicles near Aldershot.
The course was used by the James Bond film makers to shoot a hovercraft chase in the movie Die Another Day – but those taking part in this “fun-run” won’t have the luxury of any powered transport.
“Absolutely not,” said Michael, who is a tireless fundraiser for the Muscular Help Foundation charity despite himself being confined to a wheelchair by muscular dystrophy. “Those who haven’t run this before are in for a real shock – it isn’t known as the GRIM8 without good reason – our 100 or so Muscle WarriorsTM are doing it for an extremely worthy cause.
“Muscular dystrophy is a cruel and unforgiving disease – it robs sufferers of their mobility, their independence and finally for those with the most severe form, predominantly children, their lives – all of the children they are raising money for will never be able to tackle such a challenge even when they become adults – it would be impossible and yet the money raised by our team will help some of them realise fantastic experiences they’ll never forget.
“I’m sure one or two of our team – my daughter and her friends included – will be cursing me when they are up to their waists in freezing mud and water out there but they can at least take comfort in knowing their suffering for a couple of hours can help ease the suffering of some of these children, possibly giving them a life-changing experience and a memory that will always be remembered.”
Michael, a well-known inspiring motivational speaker, is no stranger to enterprising fundraising and is an inspiration to thousands of others around the world with this most debilitating disease.
In 2002, despite his own condition deteriorating, Michael led an expedition to the North Pole – a feat he repeated two years later when he got to the South Pole and in so doing, he became the first and only disabled person to have reached both Poles.
Michael’s feats earned him a mention in the Queen’s 2004 Christmas Day broadcast from Buckingham Palace in recognition of his contribution to national life. This has subsequently brought further recognition for the charity he co-founded for fellow sufferers even less fortunate than himself.
Although Michael has already smashed the record for the largest team ever to compete in the eight year history of the GRIM8, he is already signing up Muscle Warriors for GRIM8 event in December 2010.
“I know times are still ‘GRIM’ economically for many people at the moment. I believe there is more confidence and optimism out there. Having muscular dystrophy is permanently ‘GRIM’ because there is no treatment to delay or reverse the progression and there is still no cure for this wretched disease, but through our Muscle DreamsTM programme that gives a little hope, courage and inner strength, we work hard to give children whose muscles are broken and wasting away something to look forward to and for their families something to always remember and cherish. So please, help us out by getting involved or perhaps come along on GRIM day and support the incredible efforts of our Muscle WarriorsTM.”
For more details about Muscle DreamsTM: www.musclehelp.com/initiatives/muscledreamsinit
