Pittwater Life May 2019 Issue

News
Global race... with no finish line
Reckon you’d be hard pressed to find a
busier woman than Sam Bloom.
With three growing boys, she still
somehow finds enough hours in the day to
inspire others through speaking engagements;
support the best-selling book about
her journey to recovery ‘Penguin Bloom’
and collaborate on the story’s film adaptation;
train and represent our country in
international sporting competitions and
bring home the gold, all the while promoting
and participating in fundraising events
to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
Sam is one of five global ambassadors
for the Wings For Life World Run – an App
race where runners and wheelchair participants
take off at event locations around the
planet at exactly the same moment.
There is no finish line; instead the finish
line catches up with participants with a
virtual ‘Catcher Car’ chasing runners along
the course until each one is caught – the
last man and woman to be caught are
declared Global Champions.
This year’s event, starting at 9pm on
May 5, includes a course along the foreshore
from Manly to Shelley Beach.
Sam’s family participated in their first
Wings For Life World Run last year around
Sydney Harbour.
“The buzz before and during the race
Photo: Cameron Bloom
IN TRAINING: Sam Bloom and son Noah prepare
for the Wings For Life World Run on May 5.
with everyone’s head torch on is so amazing,”
Sam said. “It’s a run for everyone no
matter what your fitness level – you can
walk or run but the most important thing
is to just turn up and it’s only $15 with
100% going to the charity.”
The Blooms have backed the not-for-profit
spinal cord research foundation Wings
For Life since 2013 after Sam suffered
devastating injuries on a family holiday in
Thailand.
“Finding a cure will be the greatest day
for millions of people around the world,”
Sam said.
The best-selling book ‘Penguin Bloom’
featuring stunning photographs shot by
Sam’s husband Cameron, captures the
remarkable story of how an injured bird
helped the family heal and celebrate life.
“We decided before publishing our book
to donate 10 per cent of our royalties to
Wings For Life,” Sam said. “With the book
now in over 13 languages, we are proud to
have contributed in a meaningful way.”
No doubt there will be more opportunities
to pull in vital funds for research with
a second book and a movie underway.
Driven by powerhouse production team
Naomi Watts, Bruna Papandrea, and Emma
Cooper, it will see Watts starring as Sam.
Sam, who is an Executive Producer, said
casting for the boys and Cameron’s character
was progressing well and heads of
departments had been locked in, with filming
on the northern beaches set to begin in
a matter of months.
“We are definitely excited... it is so lovely
to have three caring and talented Australian
female producers, they are all mothers
and have been incredibly inclusive.
“Our director Glendyn Ivin has recently
spent time with us and we look forward to
collaborating with him and the actors.”
– Lisa Offord
* More info on the Wings For Life Word
Run and to register visit wingsforlifeworldrun.com/au/en/app-run-manly/
12 MAY 2019
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