Former Irish Paralympian Peter Ryan has completed an extraordinary 586km run from Malin Head to Mizen Head in just five days to raise vital funds for sight loss Charity NCBI.
Ryan set off from Malin Head in Donegal on October 8 and battled adverse weather conditions to run more than 100km every day before arriving in Mizen Head on Thursday, October 12.
Ryan fittingly completed the challenge on World Sight Day, a hugely significant day for the NCBI.
Ryan, who competed in the Tandem Cycling Time Trial at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, began losing his sight at the age of 19 after being diagnosed with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy.
Aside from raising funds for the NCBI's mobile Vision Van service, Ryan also aimed to raise awareness about the importance of managing eye health and the need for regular check-ups.
Aaron Mullaniff, Chief Services Officer at NCBI, thanked Ryan for taking on the challenge and said the charity "can't wait" to work with him again.
"I want to offer Peter Ryan an enormous congratulations and thank him for the sacrifices he has made over the last five days and in the weeks and months leading up to this challenge. It shows the measure of the man, and the determination he has, whilst challenging societal perceptions around blindness and vision impairment in the process," Mullaniff said.
"Secondly, the vital funds Peter has raised with his run from Malin to Mizen will be the catalyst for the amazing Vision Van project which champions the importance of prevention when it comes to citizens’ eye health in this country – a message that ties in perfectly to the significance of World Sight Day.
"After Peter enjoys a much-deserved rest following this unbelievable achievement, we can’t wait to work with him again to see how far we can spread the message that he embodies and the important message surrounding the need for us all to keep on top of our eye health."
Speaking ahead of the challenge, Ryan said he needed to find a "new purpose" when he began losing his sight, adding that he turned to sport.
"I love pushing my body to the limit and this challenge, running from Malin to Mizen in just five days, has been the next big focus," Ryan said.
“I received huge support from NCBI upon my diagnosis which has enabled me to learn a new way of living. I am taking on this challenge as a way of giving back to the charity, to raise awareness about vision loss and impairment, and to challenge the stigma that is associated with disability.
"By undertaking this ultra-endurance challenge, I hope to raise as much money as I can for the NCBI to continue the fantastic work they do, empowering people with blindness and vision impairment to maintain their independence and live their lives as I do."
Click here to find out more or to donate to Ryan's campaign.
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