365NEWSX.COM::USA::Athletes turn hospital halls into motorbike track for sick kids

Feb 20, 2020 2 mins, 59 secs

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Living

By Hannah Sparks

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February 20, 2020 | 3:05pm

Despite illness and disability, these kids aren’t letting life zoom by, thanks to help from a team of motocross bikers.

On Tuesday, the Great Western Hospital in the UK was overtaken by motorbike athletes Vanni Oddera, Alvaro Dal Farra and Ivan Falvo, who turned the corridors of the children’s ward into a racetrack complete with mini ramps and flags for patients and family to wave as they rode by.

In full team garb, they even demonstrated their daredevil stunt skills by safely clearing the ramps with qualified volunteers laying beneath.

The Italian riders are part of the Mototherapy and Freestyle Hospital organization, a partnership between the Allianz Umana Mente Foundation and the DaBoot freestyle motocross team, which brings the excitement of the extreme sport to sick and bedridden patients. Their visit to Swindon, a town in southwest England, was the group’s first visit to a UK hospital.

For these children, many of whom rarely see the outside of the hospital or their homes, the chance to see professional athletes perform, much less go for a ride themselves, is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

“It was truly amazing,” said parent Enver Lekaj, whose son Suad is a patient at Great Western. “I have had many days in hospital with my son, including Christmas, but this was definitely the best day.”

“I never thought Suad would be able to ride on a bike, but it really was amazing to see him. Suad loved it, and they even jumped over me. I just want to thank the bikers for everything they have done. It really was the best day we’ve had,” Lekaj told The Independent.

While aimed at kids, infirm adults were also welcome to join the fun.

“The team were so kind to him, and he smiled and laughed at the speed and noise of the bikes,” said Myra McConnell. Her son David stays in the adult ward.

“After being in bed for a long time, he really enjoyed being out of the ward to do something exciting,” McConnell told the outlet. “We were apprehensive as David has a catheter line and feeding system. We were assured that he would be fine, and it gave him an opportunity he had never had before.”

After all the able patients had had their turn on the bikes, the men stuck around for more personalized sessions with the children.

“Our visit from the Italian bikers was incredible,” said the hospital’s medical director Charlotte Forsyth. “Some of our long-term patients, both on the adult and the childrenâ€™s ward, are in hospital for weeks or even months and in that time, they donâ€™t often get to leave the ward. It was so important for them to have this experience â€” something away from normal hospital life that brought so many smiles.”

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foun

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Athletes turn hospital halls into motorbike track for sick kids

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