Support for Ottawa run brings tears of joy
The Ottawa Citizen
Published:燬unday, January 13, 2008Re: He keeps active in dealing with depression, Jan. 10.
I want to thank letter-writer Mike Newton for taking the initiative to express what he believes in.
I had tears flowing down my face for 15 minutes after reading his letter. I don't easily cry and I fought very hard to hold my tears back on Parliament Hill when I saw my parents at the end of my run to Ottawa.
With all respect to Mr. Newton for his compliment, I am nowhere near what Terry Fox has accomplished and he's certainly an inspirational figure for me. I am just an average guy who is fortunate enough to have freed myself from my anxiety problem and wants to spread the message. I know what it is like to live with this dark cloud over my head and unable to live my life fully.
I also realized the unlimited possibilities after I had my anxiety under control with running and other physical exercises. I want to share my secret so that more people can be freed from these illnesses. The entire message behind my run is available on the website www.CrossCanadaRun.com.
Throughout my Toronto-Ottawa run, I was talking to people about anxieties and depression and I was amazed by the number of people who described how they were also affected by anxieties or depression. It is one thing to read about the statistics and another to see the prevalence firsthand.
I am currently planning for the run across Canada which starts this spring. As I told my mom, I will empty my bank account if I have to because it has to be done.
I believe all the people who lent their support, either in the form of kind gestures or just encouragements, helped me complete the last run to Ottawa. I really appreciate your continuous support because it warms my heart and keeps me going. Now that I am all pumped and motivated, I am ready to run a few extra kilometers to train for the cross-Canada run.
Wayne Cho, Toronto
Wayne.Cho@CrossCanadaRun.com
http://www.CrossCanadaRun.com
He keeps active in dealing with depression
The Ottawa Citizen
Published:燭hursday, January 10, 2008Re: The weather was a downer, but this runner could handle it, Dec. 28.
Wayne Cho set out on his Ontario run just before Christmas to raise public awareness about overcoming anxiety and depression.
Many of us know about this condition. He did something better -- he showed people how to deal with it: Do something! That's how depression is handled. You aren't depressed while you are jogging. You might be able to be depressed while walking, if you take on the depressed slouch, but not if you are walking with a purpose.
He makes a perfect poster boy for depression sufferers. He says he is planning to take about six months off next spring and run across Canada. We should figure out how we can sponsor his cross-country marathon. Let's also make him the spokesman, and let him be interviewed in every town and city from St. John's to Glace Bay, Moncton, Trois Rivi鑢es, Pointe Gatineau, Renfrew, Wawa, Winnipeg, Moose Jaw, Lake Louise, Golden, Penticton and Victoria.
We've got ourselves a Terry Fox here. He doesn't seem to be doing this for selfish reasons. Let's help him raises funds for his next journey. We can't afford to lose him. He can save millions for Health Canada, and for business and industry, not to mention many personal relationships.
Mike Newton,
Ottawa
The weather was a downer, but this runner could handle it
There was lots of snow, and it was bitterly cold, but Wayne Cho persevered on his 430-kilometre run to raise awareness about anxiety and depression, writes Tony Lofaro.
Tony Lofaro, The Ottawa Citizen
Published:燜riday, December 28, 2007Wayne Cho picked the wrong day to begin his Toronto-to-Ottawa run to raise public awareness about overcoming anxiety and depression.
The 33-year-old started off from Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square on Dec. 15 and ran into one of the worst snowstorms in provincial history. The fierce blizzard, coupled with a few nagging injuries picked up during his training, certainly didn't make the long trek any easier.
"The first day was so cold that my hands were numb and my face was frozen and I couldn't speak properly. My toes were so frozen that I didn't get back the feeling in them until I was about 15 kilometres into the run," said Mr. Cho.
"It's been difficult and challenging and there were times when I needed help and support and reached out to people. They responded," said Mr. Cho, who ended his run Boxing Day on Parliament Hill, where the Toronto resident was greeted by his parents.
The run was a personal victory for Mr. Cho because it allowed him the opportunity to deal with his own problems with anxiety and depression, which have plagued him for many years. He said he suffered from anxiety and depression issues until three years ago, when he took up running as a way to deal with his problem.
"I feel I have better control now over how I feel," said Mr. Cho.
"I don't have to feel anymore about what's going to happen next or whether I can handle it. That feeling's gone and now I can stop worrying and start living, and that's what I always remind myself," he said.
Running is therapeutic, he said, and when he doesn't get out and run for a few days he starts to fret over simple things. He said he tries to go for a run or cycles five or six days a week to keep his spirits up.
Mr. Cho said he was touched by the generosity and warmth shown by many strangers he met during his journey. He said he was in Smiths Falls on Christmas Day without any food to eat and found that no restaurant was open.
"One of the cab drivers brought me a turkey lunch," he said.
"It was unusual running on Christmas Day, but I enjoyed the support and acts of kindness shown to me by strangers. I saw how kind people can be," he said.
Mr. Cho said drivers who passed him along the route waved to him in support and others brought him coffee and wanted to know why he was running such a long distance.
"When I talked to people, they were warm and supportive, and it helped me ease my anxiety and inspired me to run, to keep going," he said.
Buoyed by the success of this run, Mr. Cho is planning to take about six months off next spring and attempt a cross-Canada run to raise more awareness about anxiety and depression.
