On July 31, brother-in-laws Rob Donaldson and Greg Manzie took part in the Virgin Active London triathlon to raise money for DeBRA and Diabetes UK – two charities which raise money for the conditions both men suffer from.
Rob has suffered from Epidermyolysis Bullosa (EB) since he was 20 years old and Greg has been a type 1 diabetic for the past 18 years. They both took part in the Olympic distance triathlon, which consisted of a 1500 metre swim, a cycle of 40 kilometres and a run of 10 kilometres.
Rob was raising money for DeBRA, a national charity working on behalf of individuals and families affected by Epidermyolysis Bullosa. It is a rare condition which causes the skin and internal body linings to blister and sheer at the slightest friction causing painful open wounds.
Rob says “EB means I have had to give up activities and cycling and running can also cause blisters for me, but other than that it does not really affect my day-to-day life. I am lucky that my symptoms are limited to occasional blisters on my hands and feet, others are not so lucky.”
Greg was fundraising for Diabetes UK, a charity for people with diabetes as well as their family, friends and carers. The mission of the charity is to improve the lives of people with the condition and work towards a future without diabetes. Diabetes is one of the largest patient organisations in Europe.
If you would like to sponsor the men following their challenge, you can go to:
virginmoneygiving.com/RobDonaldson or virginmoneygiving.com/gregmanzie
