When:
Media invited from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, August 23
Where:
Timberline Lodge Relay Start Area
27500 E Timberline Road, Government Camp, OR 97028
What:
“United in Stride,” a 2019 Hood to Coast Oregon team of 10 accomplished blind runners (including Paralympians, Iron Man triathletes and 100 mile ultramarathoners) and 10 sighted guides, will be the first visually impaired team to run the long-distance, overnight relay starting on Friday, August 23. Dr. Vivienne Hau, a Kaiser Permanente Retina Surgeon and marathon runner, organized the team of runners and guides with blind Veteran Richard Hunter to help those who are visually impaired enjoy the freedom of running outdoors, and to create awareness of the need for sighted running guides across North America. Hunter, founder of United in Stride, will run as captain of the visually impaired team with Dr. Hau as his guide.
Why:
Getting regular exercise like running is one of the best things a person can do to improve their overall health, so Kaiser Permanente is thrilled to support Dr. Hau and “United in Stride,” an organization that unites visually impaired runners and sighted guides. Finding the right running partner can be challenging, and unitedinstride.com makes it easier to connect visually impaired runners with sighted guides whether close to home or traveling so they can enjoy the experience of running and all its health benefits.
Interviews:
- Dr. Vivienne Hau, marathon runner and retina surgeon with Kaiser Permanente, overseeing all logistics as Guide Captain for the “United in Stride” Hood to Coast team. Dr. Hau will also run as a guide for Richard Hunter.
- Blind Veteran Richard Hunter, a Pendleton, Oregon, native, is founder of United in Stride and captain of the visually impaired team, whose goal is to complete the 200-mile course and raise $15,000 to help fund unitedinstride.com.
Visuals:
- Opportunities for photos and videos of runners and volunteers in action at the starting point of the race (18,000 total participants).
- Visuals of most of the “United in Stride” blind relay runners tethered to their guides, and the highly decorated “United in Stride” van – it will be decorated to draw attention for spectators so they know to cheer on this special team making history as the first visually impaired relay team.
- The starting point is a festive, high-energy scene with many runners in costumes and vans painted and decorated to support their team.
Quote:
“As an eye surgeon, I work with the visually impaired on a daily basis, many of whom grapple with a recent loss of vision that medical treatments can’t repair,” said Dr. Vivienne Hau, retina surgeon with Kaiser Permanente. “They and their families have to deal with the devastating emotional and psychological aspects of losing their independence and ability to do simple everyday activities that most of us take for granted. Volunteering to help organize the “United in Stride” Hood to Coast team is an opportunity to learn and share the stories of visually impaired individuals who are not letting disability limit them from achieving their goals. It empowers me with hope that I can pass on to help and inspire my patients. By guiding blind runners, I can combine my passions of running and helping out the visually impaired to achieve amazing challenges like accomplishing the Mt. Hood to Coast Relay!”
Background:
- There is a strong link between physical activity and health and mental wellness, so Kaiser Permanente is thrilled to cheer on Dr. Hau, supporting visually impaired runners in overcoming obstacles so they can enjoy running and its health benefits.
- Dr. Hau has guided Richard previously at the 2015 and 2018 Boston Marathons and during a 50-mile run to help Jason Romero, become the first blind runner to run across the United States on foot.
- Hood to Coast (HTC) runs August 23-24, 2019, beginning at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood and ending in Seaside, Oregon. It is 199 miles long and participants include 12,600 runners and 3,600 volunteers. HTC began in 1982 with 8 teams, and has filled the team cap for 28 straight years.
- Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.3 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. https://about.kaiserpermanente.org