British actor Colin Farrell expressed his gratitude to the public for their support of his charity marathon, aimed to raise donations for a friend battling a painful skin condition. The actor and his friend, Emma Fogarty, who is the oldest living person in Ireland with the genetic disorder epidermolysis bullosa (EB), appeared together on RTE’s Late Late Show, which led to more than €400,000 being donated.
Next Sunday, the star of ‘The Penguin’ will participate in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon to celebrate Ms Fogarty’s recent 40th birthday, a landmark she didn’t expect to reach. She plans to accompany him in her wheelchair for the final 4km of the race, each kilometre symbolizing a decade of her life.
Ms Fogarty, hailing from Co Laois, grapples daily with the most intense form of this rare genetic disease (recessive dystrophic EB). Those living with the condition are usually expected to live for 30 to 35 years. Born without skin on her left foot and right arm, Ms Fogarty suffers from debilitating skin blisters even from the lightest touch, earning the condition the nickname ‘Butterfly Skin’.
Their fundraising endeavour, known as “Run to 40”, has yielded over €500,000 in donations, with their Late, Late Show appearance alone raising €415,000. The proceeds will aid the charity Debra, that supports 300 people in Ireland battling epidermolysis bullosa. Donations are still being accepted online.
Farrell, a Dublin native, admiringly referred to Ms Fogarty as a “legend”. “She is dealing with the harshest form of EB,” he shared backstage on Friday. “She is only the third person in Ireland with her type of EB to turn 40 – she’s truly a miracle, and a legend.” Ms Fogarty expressed the potential difficulties of the 4km distance to host Patrick Kielty during their time on the show.
“Four kilometres may seem negligible to many, some of whom likely run 5km or even 10km daily,” she elaborated. “However, for me, the journey will be exceedingly lengthy due to factors like potholes, ramps and even tiny pebbles that I can sense underfoot.”
The Debra CEO, Jimmy Fearon, expressed his profound surprise and exhilaration towards the reaction of the audience to the Friday’s programme. “I am astounded by what has been accomplished,” he admitted. “Emma and Colin gave remarkable performances and the funds gathered have overjoyed us. The assistance we can provide to families impacted by EB is the key focus of our efforts.” – PA