Murray Halberg Obituary, Death – Today marks the passing of Sir Murray Halberg, who had reached the age of 89.
Although I never got to meet Sir Murray, I am grateful for the work he did to help youngsters with physical limitations participate in sports. I was one of the beneficiaries of his efforts. His foundation provided the funding that I needed to get started on my sports career, and I am very grateful to them for that. Because of that, I am thankful to him.
The Halberg Foundation gave me access to not one but two distinct Activity Funds that I could employ. 1 to purchase a wheelchair designed specifically for basketball, and the other to purchase a throwing frame designed specifically for athletics. As a direct consequence of these, I was offered the opportunity to represent both Waikato and Aotearoa in the events for wheelchair basketball and field athletics (Shot Put, Discus and Javelin).
I believe that it was beneficial to me on multiple levels when I was given these funds to purchase specialized equipment so that I could participate in sports. These levels include psychologically, socially, physically, and in terms of my overall health. These include an improved mood state, with a reduction in anxiousness and sadness, an improvement in self-esteem, and the sensation that one is more capable of handling their situation on their own.
Other benefits include a feeling that one is more capable of handling their situation on their own include. On the sociological front, the victories include the cultivation of new friendships, the amassing of new experiences, and the lessening of stigma. The person’s view of their own health improved, and over a longer period of time, there was a reduction in the likelihood of getting a number of different chronic conditions. Participating in sports can increase a person’s chances of finding gainful employment, which in turn can lead to lower absenteeism rates and higher levels of productivity. All of these beneficial effects on a person’s body and mind come about as a result of participating in sports. This has resulted in a plethora of fantastic experiences and possibilities falling into my lap as a direct result.