奔跑的意義

Ximena Pérez Gómez

帕拉堅持跑馬拉松，并參加其他比賽，為坐在輪椅上的兒童籌集資金，這些資金被用來救助患West綜合征的兒童。

Julieta Escobar Parra runs for a cause.A resident of Puebla, a city in Mexico, Parra runs marathons and other races to raise money for children in wheelchairs.They are used to help children with a rare disease called West syndrome.Parra has been running for about seven years.In the past four years, she has run in China Poblana,a traditional Mexican outfit.

What inspired Parra to start this unique journey? Several years ago, her infant daughter, who is now almost eight,was diagnosed with West syndrome.The disease is often incurable and can impair a child's ability to laugh, cry, stand, or even hold their heads up.

“As a mother, I felt a very strong pain in my heart and didn't know what I could do,”Parra said.“My husband suggested that I do something I liked.So I decided to go for a run.”Starting out wasn't easy,Parra recalled.“The first few times I cried because I wasn't sure what my daughter's future was going to be,”she said.

But Parra persevered (堅持).After several more runs, she began to train for longer distances.She then decided to run a marathon for her daughter.A few days later, Parra and her husband got a call from their daughter's doctor.She had been cured.

“Because of that,”Parra said,“I decided to dedicate my steps now for more little ones with West syndrome.”To date,Parra has run six marathons.Most of the money she raises goes towards wheelchairs for children.Parra now hopes to create a foundation with her husband that will help even more children.

Reading Check

How many marathons has Parra run so far?

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