Patients at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach received an exciting visit from the Transpacific Yacht Race (Transpac) sailing crew of Bretwalda 3 on Tuesday, July 14.
The Detroit-based crew came to Miller Children’s for the second time since 2013 as part of the non-profit organization, Racing For Kids.
The sailors stopped at both the hematology/oncology and general pediatric playrooms to spend time with young patients and share their sailing experiences.
Patients were treated to a variety of gear including Bretwalda 3 t-shirts and Racing For Kids baseball caps, while enjoying a short video showcasing some of the crew’s previous races.
The visit proved to be rewarding for both patients and sailors alike.
“The opportunity to spend some time with these kids to brighten their day made us realize how privileged we are to be doing what we’re doing,” said Bretwalda 3 Skipper Robert Petick.
The Bretwalda 3 crew, consisting of Pethick, bowman Sergei Lie, headsail trimmer Gary Warner and more, arrived in Long Beach only a few days before their July 16 race, where they set sail on a 2500 mile, 10-day long race from Long Beach, CA to Honolulu, Hawaii.
The seven-member team is aiming to beat their performance during the 2013 race, where they claimed the second place title.
For more than 25 years, Racing for Kids has helped to focus public attention and funding on the health care needs of children using the increasing popularity of motorsports.
Racing For Kids representatives, like Bretwalda 3, have visited more than 25,000 young patients in nearly 500 hospitals in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and Australia. Nearly $6 million has been raised through donations and specific fundraising events for children’s hospital and child health institutions across the county.
“It makes it so much more meaningful to share the experience with these terrific kids,” said Lie. “We will definitely be thinking of them as we race to Hawaii.”
