Colin Farrell is to run the Dublin Marathon with his close friend who celebrated her "miracle" 40th birthday.
The Hollywood actor is to run the marathon in support of his friend Emma Fogarty, who is the longest-surviving person battling the most severe form of agonising skin condition, epidermolysis bullosa (EB), also known as Butterfly Skin.
Ms Fogarty has been described by Farrell as "the strongest person I've ever met". When she was born, her parents were told that she would not survive a week beyond birth.
Farrell will run this marathon in support of Debra Ireland, with the proceeds raised from 'Emma's Run to 40' being used to help pioneering research which could transform the future for everyone with EB in Ireland.
Paying tribute to Emma Fogarty, Colin Farrell had this to say.
"Emma Fogarty is not only the strongest person I’ve ever met and a true warrior, I’m lucky enough to call her a friend", Farrell said. "For years now, I’ve been fortunate enough to bear witness not only to her courage and her vulnerability, but her humour, her stubbornness and her great, great heart too".
"The fact that I’m getting to run the Irish Life Dublin Marathon with my friend to celebrate her 40th birthday is something I’m so excited about. She's already won the whole day!".
Ms Fogarty who is from Abbeyleix, Co Laois, celebrated her 40th birthday last month, surviving cancer twice in the meantime.
"I was really proud and grateful when he said he would run the marathon. It was amazing", Fogarty said in tribute to Farrell.
"I mean, for Colin Farrell to run the marathon for Debra Ireland and have me included is something very special and it will be a very special moment for me".
"He’s going to run 44km and that’s his challenge, but I’ll be doing the last four kilometres with him", She continued. "He’s going to push me and each kilometre we do together represents a decade of the life I’ve lived and survived with EB".
"I think its going to be more emotional than I’m expecting but I can’t wait. It’s going to be great with him pushing me over that finish line".
