The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT’S one thing to be crowned a two-time champion, but it’s another for Daniel Bastian to be honoured as the patron of the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre’s 2017 Geriatrics Push-A-Thon.

Bastian, a 66-year-old quadriplegic who was attended to SRC in 1980 after he was involved in a car accident on June 29, 1978 at the age of 28, will be recognised when the sixth version of the push, walk, run event starts at 7am on Saturday, April 29.

“I’m looking forward to winning this one,” said Bastian, a former sports enthusiast who worked as a carpenter before the accident and became a devoted Christian worshipping at St Anselms Roman Catholic Church.

In the two times he won and placed fourth in the other, Bastian said he had Sherwin Brown pushing him.

He called it a “winning team” and looks forward to them keeping their legacy intact as they go for a third title this year.

“I know the competition will be tough, but we have the best team to pull it off,” Bastian said. “He just needs to exercise and run faster. He say he’s been working out, but I can’t see him all the time, so I hope he’s ready to work.”

Bastian said whether they win or lose, they will enjoy the competition and look forward to coming back to compete again next year.

As a patient at SRC since 1980, Bastian said he has enjoyed his experience because although he’s limited to a wheelchair, he gets to “come and go” as he pleases.  I really like it here and the staff has been good to me over the years.”

So when he was asked to be the patron for this year’s event, he gladly accepted. What he said he didn’t expect was the amount of publicity that he has received so far, which puts added pressure on him and Brown to win.

“I had a lot of phone calls and a lot of people telling me that I have to do this race just for you,” Bastian said. “I would like for the public to come out and support this event.

“It’s for a worthy cause to take us as patients out on a ride. So it’s good for everybody, young and old. You get an opportunity to develop your body and your mind like I do with Brown.”

Brown, who brings a sporting attitude to the team as a former player in the Commonwealth American Football League, said Bastian is ready for the challenge ahead of them.

“With the event being named in his honour, we have to make sure that we win,” Brown said. “

There’s no added pressure for us, but this one is more important than the others because it is named in his honour.

“So definitely, not just for me, but this is for Mr Bastian. Without him, there would be no me and with me, there would be no Mr Bastian. He’s the mastermind of it. I’m just the engine. Together, we make the dream team.”

As the two-time champions, Brown said everybody wants to beat them, but they welcome all challengers. He assured them that as long as they sign up and show up at the starting line, the race will be on.

It will start from the SRC and head south on Fox Hill Road, north into Elizabeth Estates, west along Prince Charles Drive, south onto Fox Hill Road and back to SRC.

The registration fee is $15 for those persons who register before race day.

On race day, the price will be $20 and will include a bag with goodies as well as a t-shirt. Breakfast will also be served that morning.

Michelle Collie, senior welfare officer at SRC, said as a committee member, the sixth annual Push-A-Thon gets bigger and better.

“I’m particularly excited about this one because it’s named in honour of one of our prestigious patients, Daniel Bastian,” she said. “I want everyone who knows him to come out and support the event.

“It also gives the public a different view of what the Geriatric Ward is all about. Daniel is one of our long time patients, he’s involved in a lot of activities here and he really likes the promotions, so we’re glad that he’s a part of our team.”

Said Jennifer Munnings, the nursing officer in charge of the McClennan Ward where Bastian is a patient,

“We have a total of 17 patients, all male on the ward, and Danny has been par excellent. He is well loved by our clients and our staff. He has a love in him that gravitates people to him on a daily basis so you would see everybody around his bedside,” she said.

“So it’s indeed an honour to have this event named after him. I met Danny over 10 years ago and I think it’s no more than fair to him because he’s participated in the race and has won it twice. Him and Mr Brown are a dream team, so I expect them to win again this year.”

And Christopher Strachan, a public relations officer, said they are encouraging persons to come out and support the event instead of sitting at home and watching television or using their gadgets.

“This is good for you. Walking a little, running a little and pushing somebody is good for the body,” he said. “We want to invite persons to come out in groups and participate in the event.”