Actor Colin Farrell completes charity marathon, pushing terminally ill patient in wheelchair

▶ Participating in helping a rare skin disease support group

Irish-born Hollywood actor Colin Farrell (48) participated in a charity marathon to help patients with rare skin diseases and created a heart-warming scene by pushing the patient’s wheelchair and completing the final leg.

According to CNN and NBC on the 28th, Farrell participated in a marathon held in Dublin, Ireland the day before with the goal of raising money for DEBRA, an Irish charity that supports patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), an incurable disease.

Farrell planned a fundraising campaign with EB patient Emma Fogarty (40), whom he had known for a long time and became a friend, and ran the last 4km of the marathon course, pushing Fogarty’s wheelchair.

Fogarty was born with no skin on his left foot and right arm and has suffered his entire life from a condition that can cause very painful blisters to form at the slightest touch to the skin. He is said to be the longest-surviving patient in Ireland fighting this disease.

As Farrell started running, pushing Fogarty’s wheelchair, the audience on site cheered the two with loud applause and cheers.

“I have known Emma for many years and she is the epitome of courage and sheer determination,” Farrell told local media. “This run was nothing compared to the pain she had to endure every day.”

Fogarty said of participating in the marathon, “It was a dream come true for me and I would like to thank Colin, the most generous and loyal friend I have ever had.”

The two initially decided to raise 400,000 euros, but after the amount raised exceeded that amount, they are aiming for 1 million euros again.

Previously, Farrell established the Colin Farrell Foundation to support families with adult children with intellectual disabilities. His adult son, James, is known to have been born with Angelman syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disease.