Team Darfur athlete Cheri Blauwet is the Winner of the 2003 and 2004 New York City Marathon as well as the 2004 and 2005 Boston Marathon. She also won the Los Angeles Marathon in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2008. Additionally Cheri won a Gold Medal at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games in the 800 meters, and a Bronze in both the 5000 meters and the Marathon.We asked Cheri why she joined Team Darfur and this is what she had to say:
It is up to each of us to use the voice we are given as athletes to support the development and human rights of our peers who, because of conflict, may be denied the opportunity to say: I can lead a healthy life, I can make it what I want it to be, I can be an athlete. For we as Paralympic athletes, this becomes increasingly important as issues of disability rights and the basic denial of opportunities for health and physical fitness for our peers remain tantamount. We must act in solidarity to remind the world that regardless of age, gender, creed, or physical ability/disability, we all have the right to self determination.
