Roger Ruijters (42) from Cuijk completed a monster tour through the Mongolia desert this weekend. He participated in the Gobi March, which is a 250 -kilometer ultramarathon that is divided into six stages. Roger did that for his son Teijn (4) and his fellow sufferers. With this performance, the father wants to raise money for research into a rare and incurable lung disease. “My sick son, the collection and attention to the disease have dragged me through a few times.”
To understand what Roger has driven to participate in this almost inhuman running match, we have to go back to December 2022. son Teijn is then one year old. What starts a few days before Christmas with an innocent febrile sign ends on Christmas Day in Intensive Care of the Radboud Hospital in Nijmegen.
“He had to fight for his life.”
There it goes from bad to worse. “Our boy had to fight for his life,” says Roger. On Boxing Day, the doctors bring his son in an artificial coma. A few days later the boy awakens from that, but Teijn continues to keep breathing problems and needs a lot of medication.
Only in the summer of 2023 do doctors discover that the boy has the progressive pulmonary disease Pibo. “The only way to fully help him get rid of that is a lung transplant,” says Roger. It completely turns the life of the family upside down.
The disease is unknown and a lot of research is still needed, according to Roger. “That is why I was looking for a way to draw attention to Pibo and raise at least 50,000 euros.” The ‘Run for Teijn’ collection campaign was born. Roger decided to walk the ultramarathon of 250 kilometers to raise money. “Because such an investigation costs just four tons. Every step I took in the desert, I put Teijn and the other children with Pibo.”
Roger did not do that without merit, because he eventually finished seventh in the general classification. “It is difficult to explain how heavy it was. I lost six kilos and I have twelve blisters: one on every toe and on both of my heels. Inpapen could not, because I am allergic to tape, so I had to pierce them, dry out and walk through.” But giving up was not an option for Roger. “My teijn couldn’t stop or take it easy when he fought for his life.”
“You can always do more than you think.”
Participating in the Gobi March in the Mongolian desert is more than just running for a very long time. The temperatures range from minus 5 to 47 degrees in the sun. Runners therefore have to pay extra attention to themselves. “You must be constantly sharp in your environment and how you feel yourself, while delivering a top performance.”
During the longest stage of eighty kilometers, for example, Roger was unable to eat anymore. “I then made a soup at a checkpoint, so I received carbohydrates and salt, and caught a little more rest. Then it went again.”
It gave Roger a huge boost to continue. “It is really remarkable to notice that I could no longer think clearly, but could still think that I had to take good care of myself. But yes, in such a competition you are actually your own support team and coach.”
Despite the pains, Roger found the game mentally heavier than physically. “It was certainly not easy physically, but you can always do more than you think. I thought dealing with the tension and not knowing what is coming.”
The home front is extremely proud of Rogers performance. The counter for the collection campaign is now at 20,000 euros. “It was really a very special experience, thanks to the beautiful surroundings and all other participants who have helped enormously.”
He now even invited more ultramarathons. “I don’t know if I’m going to do that, I’ll let it sink in. My family has supported and relieved me to be able to do this, that it is the turn of them first.”
Post infection bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO)
Pibo is a lung disease that mainly occurs in young children after a major pneumonia, for example due to a virus. Teijn was even infected with three viruses. The full name of the disease is post -infectious bronchiolitis obliterans. That means that the small airways in the lungs have been damaged after an infection.
Because of that damage, the airways are narrowed or even partially sealed, making breathing more difficult. Children with Pibo often cough a lot, are quickly stuffy and are less able to participate in sports or running.
The disease usually does not pass automatically and can stay for years. There is no healing, but with medicines such as puffers and anti -inflammatory drugs, the symptoms can decrease. Controls in the hospital are also important to keep an eye on lung function.
