Family of four teams up to help determined ones in the UAE

Dubai - The 'Together We Can' campaign raises awareness about children with determination and their integration into society

A family's humanitarian gesture to inspire the community of determined ones or people with disabilities is what best describes #TeamAngelWolf.
The group comprises an extraordinary family of four - the Watsons. Dad: Nick Watson, founder of Team Angel Wolf; mum: Delphine; son: Rio (14 years old) and daughter: Tia (9 years old) - who are on a mission to spread awareness about inclusion of determined ones in the society and prove that "anything is possible".
The group aims to spread awareness on integration of children with special needs within the UAE and promote sport, health and fitness within the community.
Nick and Delphine's eldest child Rio has severe disabilities, with a rare chromosome disorder, which causes seizures and severe learning and motor disabilities among others. But the couple says that it was Rio who has changed their lives and directed their destiny. It was because of their son Rio that they formed #TeamAngelWolf wherein the family competes together in sports events, including Rio, to send out a message that it's important to make people with disabilities feel 'included' and equal part of a community activities. While Tia (Rio's sister) guides Rio around children fitness/sports competitions; Nick completes triathlons with Rio; Delphine pushes Rio in a disability running chair around running races.
Recently, the group launched 'Together We Can' campaign with Omnicom Media Group at Dubai Sports World, where they hosted a fun charity event to raise awareness about children with determination in sports.
"We wanted the Omnicom Media Group team to experience running, pushing the chairs that they sponsored and to invite the community to experience what the campaign will be all about. At least 20 members of the Omnicom Media Group and 30 others came to the event, along side three people with disabilities, with the goal of covering seven-kilometre (14 laps of the track) 'together' for an 'inclusive' run," Nick told Khaleej Times.
Each runner took turns in pushing one of the disability running chairs, that was used by the people with disabilities.
Hearing about it, Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) requested to include their team in the event. The activity was repeated again with 30 people of the KHDA team after the first 'inclusive' 7km run. The KHDA team, along side three children with disabilities, ran seven kilometres for an inclusive run. Each runner took turns in pushing one of the disability running chairs, that was used by the people with disabilities.
"To 'go out for a run' is something that most of us can choose to do any time, but for some people with specific disabilities this is not an available choice. So the activity made it possible for the disabled, and the experience thoroughly enjoyed. Our mission is achieved through participation in sporting events (running, swimming and bike races and triathlons) by inclusion, free community activities and inspirational seminars within schools and the private sector," added Nick.
saman@khaleejtimes.com
Together We Can is an inclusive activity
'Together We Can' programme is a free, inclusive, weekly community activity that will start regularly after the summer. Anybody can participate in the programmes.
During the weekly run, which will be held at a Dubai running track, teams of two (a volunteer runner athlete, with a volunteer person with a disability) will be paired up. Paired teams, then join in the weekly social group runs together, using the specialised disability running chairs.
Participating runners take turns in pushing one of the disability running chairs, used by the people with disabilities. Everybody will get opportunity to push the chairs, should they wish, or they can just join in for a fun community run, with no pressure.
VP gives a new name
In April, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has urged residents to address people with disabilities as determined ones while launching a national strategy for empowering the disabled.