A Co. Armagh man has completed a 100k in a day walk to raise over £1,500 for the sight loss charity, The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
Christopher McConville walked from London to Brighton – a distance of 104 Kilometres in 24 hours – motivated by the story of his little cousin Lucy Downey.
Lucy and the Downey family, who live in the Dromintee and Jonesborough area, have received support from RNIB’s Children, Young People and Families service since Lucy was born with a vision impairment.
Lucy has been diagnosed with CVI (cerebral visual impairment) and Retinopathy of Prematurity, conditions that affect her vision and daily life.
Christopher says: “Little Lucy entered this world much earlier than expected, as part of a set of triplets. Despite her challenging start, Lucy’s spirit shines bright, but she faces unique obstacles due to being born premature.
“Fortunately, Lucy has found incredible support and care from RNIB. The RNIB has been an unwavering source of assistance, providing vital resources, therapies, and emotional support for Lucy and her devoted parents, Tony and Julie. They’ve organised special trips, offering precious moments of joy and respite amidst the challenges.”
The Eventum Group, the company Christopher works for, have also kindly donated £500 in support of his fundraising effort.
Lucy’s Dad Tony Downey, said: “Our family have received great support from Roisin Meagher from RNIB’s Children, Young People and Families team. Nothing is too much trouble and she has supported us to apply for a grant for our home and items of technology for Lucy.
“Julie and I are extremely grateful to Roisin and the team at RNIB, for being there for us and all the families like ours across Northern Ireland.”
RNIB’s Children, Young People and Families Service supports families affected by vision impairment here in Northern Ireland and across the UK.
If your family is affected by sight loss, call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 1239999 or email helpline@rnib.org.uk.
You can still support Christopher’s fundraising effort by visiting his GoFundMe page here.
