Sophie Smith is running for herself this Sunday in Kelowna, and also for those who can't and are in desperate need of life's necessities.
The 39-year-old Halfmoon Bay resident is running in the BMO Half Marathon on Oct. 9 raising donations for Amma Canada, a Canadian registered charity under the main international charity Embracing the World. In Canada, the charity works to serve those most in need in the community, from the young to the elderly, and has numerous projects to care for the environment.
"This is my first half marathon and it's something I wanted to do while I have the health and fitness," said Smith. "I never thought I'd ever run this far, but it's amazing what you can do when you stop limiting yourself mentally."
Smith has had a challenging few years being diagnosed with Celiac disease and discovering she has the genetic marker for a fatal degenerative disease.
"I feel very grateful because I'm in good health right now and have a great quality of life here on the Coast, but I've also witnessed terrible poverty and suffering," she said. "I understand what some people are going through, and I want to do everything I can to help."
In 2004 she was in Kerala, India at the charity centre when the tsunami hit, killing 140 people in the surrounding fishing communities.
"We [Western volunteers] were evacuated along with the local people in the nearby area. I experienced the relief efforts first hand," Smith recalled. "We were immediately provided with clean water, hot freshly cooked meals and shelter."
She has been a volunteer for the charity for more than 10 years.
"I've seen the work this charity does and it's really inspiring. A one dollar donation goes a long way because of the selflessness of the volunteers," she said.
Embracing the World is a not-for-profit international collective of charities founded by renowned spiritual and humanitarian leader, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma).
Embracing the World exists to help alleviate the burden of the world's poor through helping to meet each of their five basic needs - food, shelter, education, health care and livelihood - whenever and wherever possible.
Devi is known throughout the world as Amma, or Mother, for her selfless love and compassion towards all beings. Through her life, Amma has embraced and comforted more than 30 million people.
If you would like to sponsor Smith, go to www.giving.runningroom.com and go to the 'Pledge an Athlete' box and type 'sophie smith' then select Sophie Smith - Amma Canada and click 'Sponsor me' to make a secure on-line donation.
For more information about the charity visit the international website at www.embracingtheworld.org.
