Katie-Louise Goodfellow, 9, and her dad Derek have been busy clocking up the miles over the last year and a half with their running and rolling adventures, having completed 49 Junior parkruns, 47 parkruns, the Belfast City Marathon, 10 half marathons, numerous 10K and 5K runs, and everything in between!
The dynamic duo is passionate about raising awareness of assisted running and inclusion. Katie-Louise has a diagnosis of Quad Cerebral Palsy and Dystonia, she is a wheelchair user and non-verbal. The part of Katie-Louise’s brain that is damaged means she is unable to emotionally regulate herself and the family have found a way of helping her do this, and of supporting her wellbeing, by assisted running.
Katie-Louise and Derek are currently preparing to take on local health charity Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke’s (NICHS) Red Dress Fun Run to help raise funds and awareness for stroke and are encouraging the public to sign up too. This will be their first time participating in the five-kilometre run/walk event, which is supported by MACE and Musgrave MarketPlace.
Talking about why they are taking part in Red Dress Fun Run, Derek explains: “My mum suffered a stroke in April 2024 and sadly passed away in the May. During the time mum was in hospital we experienced first-hand the support, advice and guidance NICHS give people who have had a stroke, and their families, at a time when they really need it. We received support through the charity’s Family Support service and their Care team. A member of the team was in contact with us when mum was in hospital and explained the support and services they could offer her once she was discharged. We found this really helpful, and Mum was very positive about it all but sadly she didn’t get the chance to avail of that support.”
“As part of our running and rolling adventures we choose a charity of the year, and decided we would make NICHS our charity for 2025 as a way of thanking them for their help and support. We have also done some other fundraising through a cold-water dip challenge and the Red Dress Fun Run is next on our list.”
Explaining how they found a love for assisted running Derek says; “I started running with Katie-Louise in a jogging buggy when she was around 3 but due to the repetitive lifting of Katie-Louise, I ripped my thumb out of its joint. After that we had to stop because any movement would cause me excruciating pain. In August 2023, we decided to try different sporting activities with Katie-Louise’s younger brother, Dawson. We thought running would be good for him as he had so much energy and we took him to a Junior parkrun at the Waterworks in Belfast.”
“I ran with Dawson as he was only 4 at the time and within 50 yards, I knew I had the running bug back. I thought it would be a father-son activity but after two weeks of us leaving my wife Victoria and Katie-Louise at home, and Katie-Louise shouting and motioning that she wanted to come with us, we took her with us on week three in her day chair. I ran with the kids and was going a bit too fast around a corner and Dawson had to put one of his hands on the armrest of Katie-Louise’s chair to stop it going up on two wheels. Then they were holding hands for the rest of the run, smiling and just loving it and everything snowballed from there. Katie-Louise had the bug back too!”
“I came up with idea of doing a Junior parkrun tour of all the events in Northern Ireland. We were still using Katie-Louise’s day chair at that stage, but it is not designed for running so it wasn’t suitable for the long-term. We have friends at Monkstown Spartans and Mallusk Harriers running clubs and they came up with the idea of running 5K a day in December 2023 to raise funds for a running chair which was amazing.”
Talking about the enjoyment Katie-Louise gets from assisted running Derek says; “Katie-Louise loves being out and taking part in runs. She loves being part of it with other people. Even though Katie-Louise is non-verbal, she is very sociable. If she senses people are struggling during a run she will reach out and grab their hand, she will smile at them, and start pulling their hand to encourage them along a little bit.”
“We run with our mobile disco which Katie-Louise loves, and it also adds an element for people who need a boost during a run. We play everything from AC/DC through to The Proclaimers, there’s a genre to suit everybody! It is all about fun, enjoyment and giving people around us a lift if they need it with silly songs. If people want to do the actions to the Time Warp or Reach by S Club 7, they are more than welcome to. Katie-Louise thrives on that.”
“During the colder months we have to wrap Katie-Louise up with lots of layers and blankets at runs but when it's slightly warmer and there is no blanket, she will be giving high fives and hugs to the people that have spent the time to get to know her for who she is. Katie-Louise reciprocates that back.”
“Another example of Katie-Louise joining in on our runs was at last year’s Belfast City Marathon. We were at mile 20 coming out of the Waterworks onto the Antrim Road and a lady was struggling. Katie-Louise grabbed her hand and wouldn't let go until halfway along North Queen Street. That was after I had to zigzag all the way down Duncairn Gardens from one relay team to another, saying hello and giving high fives because Katie-Louise saw friends she had met at previous runs.”
“Katie-Louise also loves running because it’s something she does with her brother. Dawson got his 50th Junior parkrun band recently at just 5 years old! He used to run every week holding Kate-Louise's hand, or chair, or with me but now he wants to run on his own and be a bit more independent. It’s great to see that develop in him and if Katie-Louise and I have already finished a run, she is at the finish line cheering Dawson on. It's just brilliant to see the bond they have- although there is definitely friendly competition between them too! Katie-Louise isn’t to be outdone and gets her 50th Junior parkrun band on the 16th of February.”
The Red Dress Fun Run will be a full Goodfellow family affair as Derek explains; “My wife Victoria started running when she saw how much enjoyment Katie-Louise and Dawson were getting from the Junior parkruns and other events. The Red Dress Fun Run is going to be our first official family run together so that is something special and we are really looking forward to it. The videos of last year’s event look great.”
“The focus of the Red Dress Fun Run is that it is an event for everyone to come and be part of, and that is something we are all for. We have seen things move forward for assisted runners but there is still more to do. We want Katie-Louise and other children to be able to take part and be included like anyone else and for participation of assisted runners to increase. Hopefully, other assisted runners might be inspired by hearing our story and come take part in the Red Dress Fun Run too.”
“Katie-Louise and I are members of North Belfast Harriers, and the event is all everyone is talking about, especially what red fancy dress we might do it in. I will have to get my thinking cap on as I have run as an inflatable leprechaun, Spiderman, a cowboy on a horse, a dinosaur, all sorts!”
As seasoned assisted runners, what advice would Derek give to other families interested in running together? “The way we have been welcomed back into the running community and the support we receive from every county in NI is brilliant. I would say to anyone who has a disability or wants to get involved, don't let anxiety or apprehension put you off. Our message is running is for everyone, no matter ability, and we would love to see more people heeding that and getting involved.”
Last year, the Red Dress Fun Run raised a staggering £70,000 to support Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke’s work and the charity is once again hoping for a sea of red participants at this year’s event which takes place at Stormont Estate, Belfast, on Sunday 30th March. Christine Duncan, Events and Marketing Manager at the charity, is urging the public to sign up to the event saying; “We are so grateful to Derek, Katie-Louise and their family for supporting the Red Dress Fun Run and we are delighted it will be their first official family run.”
“The Red Dress Fun Run is an all-inclusive event, and we are encouraging people of every age and ability to take part. So please come run, walk, dance, skip or wheel 5K with us on Sunday 30th March at Stormont Estate. Together we can help rebuild thousands of lives and make a lasting change towards the health of people in Northern Ireland. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the fun - even the family pooch!”
The 2025 event is being supported once again by the charity’s long term corporate partners, MACE and Musgrave MarketPlace. Diane Anthony from Musgrave says; “MACE and Musgrave MarketPlace are both backing NICHS’s call for people to dress up in red and take part in this year’s event, which is set to be fantastic. Whether you are taking part in memory of someone you have lost to a chest, heart or stroke disease, are celebrating someone who is living with such a condition, or want to help prevent these diseases affecting someone in the future – sign up and join us to support this worthy cause!”
The charity is also hoping that primary school children across NI will host their own Red Dress Fun Run at school on any day in February or March. Every school that signs up will be entered into a prize draw with a chance of winning a £250 voucher from Podium4Sport to spend on sports gear for their primary school.
You can sign up to the Red Dress Fun Run at www.nichs.org.uk/RedDressFunRun or find out more about getting your primary school involved at www.nichs.org.uk/RedDressPrimary
