“I Couldn’t Give Blood, So I Found Another Way” – René Wong on Recovery, Resilience and Running Hills

What the Health

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Wednesday, 30 September 2026 - 55 minutes

This week, Claira is joined by René Wong, founder of Hills Pay the Bills Run Club, to talk about recovery, running, grief, community and giving back. Renee shares what happened after a serious motorbike accident in 2014 left him with life-changing injuries and in need of blood transfusions, and how discovering he could no longer donate blood himself inspired him to find another way to make an impact.He talks openly about both the physical and emotional challenges of recovering in hospital, losing his independence and learning to use movement as part of his recovery. René tells us how he went from being someone who never saw himself as a runner to building a running community centered around challenging yourself and supporting others.René also shares how losing his uncle inspired the creation of Hills Pay the Bills, why running became a way of processing grief, and how the club has grown into a community built around connection and shared experiences. He also talks about his 31-day July running challenge, which saw him run a very hilly 10k every day to raise awareness of blood donation and support NHS Blood and Transplant.Later on in the show, Claira also speaks to Kirsty Thomson, Head of NHS Blood and Transplant Charity, to learn why blood donations are more important than ever. Guests: René Wong. You can find Hills Pay the Bills Run Club on Instagram here.Kirsty Thomson, Head of NHS Blood and Transplant Charity. You can sign up to give blood here.Producer: Monica Lillis

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