A MAN who was left blind after complications following an operation has set himself the challenge of completing the world's biggest marathons for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
Mark Rogerson, from the town centre, lost his sight in 2013 after discovering he had a detached retina. Operations to prevent his other retina from detaching led to him contracting an infection, and his remaining sight could not be saved.
He received a great deal of support from RNIB and has been taking on various challenges to raise money for the charity since his sight loss diagnosis.
To date, Mark, 36, has completed the London Marathon three times as part of Team RNIB, as well as the Chicago marathon, and most recently, the Berlin marathon with a time of five hours and 53 minutes.
Mark with guide runner Katie during the Berlin Marathon
Through taking part in these iconic events, as well as several half marathons, Mark has raised an incredible £20,000 for RNIB.
Mark isn’t stopping there and is hoping to complete the remainder of the six most iconic marathons in the world.
He’ll be running the New York marathon in November this year and has applied for places in both the 2020 Boston and Tokyo marathons.
Mark could potentially be one of the first runners with sight loss to complete all six marathons.
Mark, who will also be running his fourth London Marathon for RNIB in April next year, said: “Before I lost my sight, I had no interest in running, and even when I took part in my first few marathons, I still wasn’t a massive fan.
Mark with guide runner Katie during the Berlin Marathon
"I’ve been drawn back year after year, as taking part in these amazing events is the perfect way to give something back to RNIB.
“Whenever I hear about a marathon, I feel like I’d be missing out and can’t imagine not taking part. Every event has a fantastic atmosphere, and I already can’t wait for New York, London and hopefully Boston and Tokyo.
“Crossing the finish line of all six of the biggest marathons would be the most incredible feeling. It will also hopefully show others that there are still opportunities out there after you’ve lost your sight.”
Mark has also received support from the St Helens community, with numerous businesses pledging to support him in his fundraising efforts including The Throwback Store, Windle Podiatry, Evolution Gym, Old Time Collective Tattoo Studio and Diamond Scaffolding who have all been sponsoring and supporting Mark in his mission to help RNIB continue smashing the barriers facing blind and partially sighted people in society.
Mark with members of Evolution Gym who have supported him
Gareth Duffy, from Evolution Gym, on Duke Street, said: “I’ve been friends with Mark for many years. When my business partner and I opened our gym, I wanted to use his story to motivate our own members, and we made him a sponsored athlete.
“We couldn’t be prouder of him at Evolution Gym. He’s a friendly and beloved member of the community and is a constant source of inspiration to our members and everyone that knows him.”
Lizzi Wagner, Senior Challenge Events Manager at RNIB, said: “We are immensely proud of Mark and all that he’s achieved. He is a star and we’re incredibly grateful to have him on Team RNIB and for everything he has done for us over the years.
“We can’t wait to cheer him on at all his upcoming marathons, and his dedication in helping us continue smashing barriers for people living with sight loss is admired by everyone who knows him.”
To find out more about Team RNIB and to join Mark in the 2020 London Marathon, visit rnib.org.uk/londonmarathon.
To sponsor Mark and support RNIB, visit justgiving.com/MarkAndKatieWMM.
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