CAS Nehir's Steps - Awareness Walk

At 24 September, Sunday, we went to Istanbul Technical University’s campus (İTÜ) for trekking. There is a social awareness for leukemia project called “Nehir’s Steps”. Nehir was a kid who passed away from leukemia and her father decided to organize a walk for her memory; also, the money gained from sold t-shirts is donated to foundation which they are dealing with cancer.

When we go there, we first buy t-shirts per person which they are 50 TL. Except us, the IB students, there are lots of people existing there to help kids with cancer. With the first whistle, majority starts to run, some walked. With a great start, after a minute I was 5^th. I can see the 4 people in front of me. After 5 minutes, gradually I get exhausted and keep ran slowly due to not training so often. I finished the 5-6 km route in 30-40 minutes approximately.

I love playing sports, both individual and team sports. They both have different pleasures. I enjoy walking and running. Because they teach people how to be effective on every second from start to finish. I am good at starting parts of the competitions; however, I can’t manage myself so ideally that I am couldn’t finish the walking or running without being almost played out.

I experienced a real long-haul walking/running organization which contains from ramps and descents. The most challenging part of the process is the 10-15 minutes after start, because I felt almost dead and live the moment that I can’t even breath. Likewise, I compelled at the ramps which they were at the end of the runway, it challenges me a lot, after 5 km running and walking, the last ramps feel even hard. I developed my body strength slightly and oxygen capacity. Also after 5 minutes from start, a friend of mine fell and he had a minor injury which we led him to the race again. We helped him and learned that how should I interact with a stressed person who had an injury and basically how to interfere him in case of a first aid situation.

I showed perseverance by admitting the walk, keeping it till the end without giving up. We worked collaboratively when donating them money, walking together with all the people who are trying to help cancer and when helping the injured friend, we showed that how we are connected to each other and what we are doing. This CAS action helped me to develop my body, how to manage my breathe and one on one friend communications. In addition, I developed my self-management skills by managing myself, according to the phases of the activity. Social skills by meeting new people at there, which aren’t from our school, discussing about the walking with my friends.

We accord the rules, don’t invade the rules of the University. We run and walk according to the establishment’s directions, for instance following the common pathway, our paramount objective is donating money to kids with cancer, walking for them alongside.