Vincent Hunter and NI Knights Wheelchair Basketball team are supporting Will to Give Week 6th – 12th November 2017, raising awareness of the importance of making a Will and how you can leave a gift to charity or charities #changethefuture.
Vincent Hunter comments on how NI Knights Wheelchair Basketball team has changed Matthew’s life.
“As a parent of a child with a genetic debilitating condition you become accustomed to rejection and disappointment and often find yourself desperately trying to reassure your child that they are not an inconvenience, that they can achieve goals, that they can dream, become successful and more than anything be accepted without judgment.
For my son Matthew sport was always a dream, something he thought he would never be allowed to participate in because of his condition. Matthew suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta which is genetic condition that results in his bones breaking easily. So you can understand why sport seemed a pipe dream with rejection and questions at every corner. However just by chance through a work colleague Matthew was invited to an evening with the NI Knights Wheelchair Basketball team . You can imagine my own fears when Matthew agreed. Was this going to be another door closed?. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
We were welcomed into this group of inspirational young men and women who instantly warmed to Matthew. When you hear the words ” will we see you next week” you are almost in shock. To my surprise noone asked questions, no one judged and more importantly Matthew was so excited to be in an environment with people who did not see the weaknesses but focused on his strengths.
We have been with the NI KNIGHTS for around 18 months and my son is a different young man. He has gained so much, his physical strength has significantly improved, is confidence is at an all time high, he now has dreams, he can achieve his goals, he has succeeded and he has been accepted. Both he and I have made life long friends. To say he has changed is an understatement.
What this club has done for my son and my family is priceless to me. The NI Knights Wheelchair Basketball Club welcomes people with all abilities and disabilities and brings out their strengths, without them my son would not be where he is now. He has recently been awarded first runner up in the Lady Taverners young sports person of the year 2016/17 and he has represented the Knights across Ireland.
I am confident that Matthew will continue to develop with the help of his peers in both senior and junior within NI Knights and we can look forward to a future in sport something we thought would not be possible.”
How a gift in your Will could help NI Knights WBC
- £10,000 could fund travel to games for one year
- £5,000 could fund court hire for one year which includes training sessions and home games
- £4,000 could buy a basketball wheelchair
- £3,000 could fund accomodation for the team for a year
- £1,000 could support officials over the course of a year
Further information
To view a short video on how NI Knights has changed Matt Rollston’s life and has the potential to do so for children in the future click here
For more on how a gift in your Will could support NI Knights click here
