600 children were welcome yesterday at the Allianz Riviera for Getaway Day
We would like to recall what happened yesterday, when over 600 sick or disabled children were given an opportunity to take part in a host of sports disciplines and practises on the Allianz Riviera forecourt. This was all thanks to Premiers de Cordée, a medical social association who was organising its traditional “Getaway Day”.
Founded in 2014, the Getaway Day is a day of sports events with free admission for children from medical social organisations (University Hospital, clinics, medical educational institutes, patient groups etc.) and their families. For the 20th anniversary of the association, the Allianz Riviera was pleased for the very first time to host this day devoted to children’s happiness.
It was the day’s intent to be a time of sharing and kindness, featuring numerous sports like football, fencing, boxing, volleyball, basketball and much, much more. Around the goal cages set up by the County Handball Committee, everyone was welcome to sit in a wheelchair, whatever their disability. The able-bodied too were able to try out the sports wheelchairs.
“This activity makes it possible for the disabled to mingle with the other players. This particular sport puts everyone on an equal footing. Even the world’s top handball player would look like a beginner playing in a wheelchair. As with torball [Editor’s Note: a ball sport for the visually-impaired], this sport helps the disabled to share sports moments with their able-bodied friends or with people who cannot stand up for too long. In the training sessions, the able-bodied are taught to use the wheelchairs by the disabled. That is indeed a most positive role reversal,” explains Committee General Secretary Patrick Fenasse,
All activities were supervised by specialised teachers and by the organisers, volunteers and partners of the event. All those people have worked hard to make the day unforgettable. The children were also treated to chatting with event sponsor Christophe Jallet, and with Silvia Notargiacomo from the “Danse avec les Stars”, the French version of the television dance contest “Strictly Come Dancing”.
