What if you met a top athlete who understands what you’re going through? In the new video series ‘Champions like you’ children and young people with chronic conditions or physical disabilities meet elite athletes who face similar challenges. Together, they engage in sports to discover what their bodies are capable of. A medical specialist joins the conversation to discuss perseverance, having fun, and building confidence in their bodies.

This video series premiered yesterday. Viewers are introduced to three inspiring trios who team up to explore the possibilities. Through ‘Champions like you’, children with chronic illnesses or disabilities connect with inspiring role models. These athletes demonstrate that sports and physical activity often make more possible than the children themselves might imagine. Drawing on their own experiences, the elite athletes understand the vital importance of staying active. The series shows that there is no single right way to play sports or exercise; whether ice skating, playing basketball, sailing, or doing something entirely different, everyone can find an activity that suits them. It also makes it clear that they are not alone in this journey. If they can do it, so can you!

The three-part series will be released online this coming week. So stay tuned and meet our three trios!

About Champions like you

‘Champions like you’ is a video series that encourages children with a disability or chronic condition to take up sports alongside an elite athlete who has a similar condition. The ‘Champions like you’ video project is funded by Convergence Healthy Start and Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital. Through this project, we demonstrate how sports can contribute to the health, self-confidence, and social participation of children and young people with a chronic condition or disability.