Colin Farrell and his friend Emma Fogarty have come into special praise from Debra after they raised €774,000 for the charity at last weekend’s Dublin City Marathon.
This comes after Farrell had surpassed the previous target of €400,000, following his recent appearance on The Late Late Show.
Farrell and Fogarty ran the marathon for the charity Debra, the charity who support people battling this disease.
The Irish actor ran the marathon for Ms Fogarty, who is Ireland’s longest surviving person with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare skin disease also known as “Butterfly Skin”.
EB requires extensive care, including daily or bi-daily bandaging, putting a huge strain on families. It can feel like third-degree burns, with patients often needing hours of daily bandaging to manage the condition.
Fogarty joined Farrell for the final four Kilometres of the run, which saw the actor push her in her wheelchair for this final stretch. Each Km represented a decade of Fogarty’s life with the condition.
“I love her to bits” – Farrell hails his friend Emma
Farrell had previously expressed his frustration over the lack of care available to treat this disease.
“I love Emma, I love her to bits. I couldn’t be any more proud of her,” he said. “But I don’t think I could be any more frustrated knowing that Emma and all those in our country who suffer with EB aren’t getting the care they could”.
Farrell also spoke about the huge funding gap which still remains for EB sufferers.
“It’s hard to see the need and the suffering up close and personal through my relationship with my pal Emma and know that there’s a broader amount of suffering going on with a further 300 people living with EB in Ireland”, he said.
“amazing”
The work of Colin Farrell and Emma Fogarty has also come in for particular praise from Debra CEO, Jimmy Fearon.
Debra have outlined plans to expand family support services, including phone support, hone visits, respite grants, counselling, and bereavement services, thanks to the funds raised.
“The marathon generated unbelievable publicity for us as a small organisation,” he said, while adding that EB is often described as “the worst condition you’ve never heard of”.
While explaining how moved Emma Fogarty was by the support, Mr Fearon also praised the Dublin City Marathon Time, the Gardaí and the public for their support on the day.
He said: “It was a magical, truly special day”.
Mr Fearon revealed that he expects a continued rise in donations to the charity, amid a major increase in public awareness of EB.
However, Jimmy Fearon has insisted that there is still a need for secure, ring-fenced funding to ensure home nursing care for those battling severe cases of EB throughout their lives.
“Currently, families are on thin ice,” he stated. “We want a clear pathway and funding commitment, especially as patients age, to ensure consistent care”.
Log onto Debra.ie if you wish to donate.
