Rugby people are special — they might look like troglodites to the non-rugby-fan spectator, but truth is they’re not: they spend 80 minutes tackling and grunting and running and yelling and clashing into each other and getting multiple fractures etc., then go out in the world and do good things.
Nick from the Welsh Rugby Blog alerted me about this moving story (I’d actually already read about that on the Scottish Rugby Blog, which of course was linking back to WRB, in fact that’s how I eventually landed on Nick’s blog):
Matt Hampson is an inspirational figure. Despite being paralysed from the neck down, after a training accident with England Under-21s, he leads a busy, active life, and remains completely involved with the game he loves. He still requires two fulltime carers, and cannot breathe without the aid of a ventilator. His physiotherapry bill alone comes to around £60,000 a year. On May the 8th, representatives of all 12 Guinness Premiership clubs will be setting off from Rugby, in Warwickshire, to walk to Twickenham, for the Premiership final, on the 16th. As well as raising money for Matt’s Trust Fund, they’ll be fundraising for Special Effect – a charity which helps severely disabled children, and of which Matt is a patron – and 12 charities nominated by the clubs. The Wasps-nominated charity is the Lawrence Dallaglio Foundation. In its first year, it is supporting Cancer Research, in memory of Lawrence’s mother Eileen, who died of the disease, at the end of last year. She was a larger than life character, who is greatly missed. For full details of the Walk4Matt, visit www.walk4Matt.org. Thank you.
Everybody can donate — via Paypal, CC, text etc. — and spread the message, too, as the more people get it, the better.
Meanwhile, on this side of the rugby world, tomorrow clash between Capitolina and Rugby Roma will be a free-entry and fundraising event: anyone can enter Stadio Flaminio for free and then donate what they wish/can to support our Rugby L’Aquila cousins, who have been affected by the quake in Abruzzo.
You can read more about that and other ways to help on both Capitolina and Rugby Roma websites.
Thanks a lot for that, really appreciate it!
No problem at all, happy to help! :)
Supporting Rugby L’Aquila is a good shout too, hope they get a good turn out.
Giorgia, may I copy and paste this post of yours in my blog? :-)
I promise to quote you. :D
I know I’m a lazy prop, but at the moment it’s like I’m at the 65′ min of the game, breathless and exhausted….
Fiore — of course you can, no need to ask! Thank you! :)
No thank you! I don’t have time to write something myself at the mo.
So thaks alot. :-D
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