2024 is here! Tijd voor grote stappen!
English version below*
Yes! 2024. Het jaar dat we samen 100.000 euro voor het BartimeusFonds gaan ophalen, als het aan mij ligt. En niet eens meer alleen aan mij! De actie groeit nu met enkele bedrijven die meewerken, sporters die mee denken en achter de schermen mensen die mee helpen met planningen, materiaal regelen en bekendheid voor dit avontuur.
Om die reden is er iemand die ik aan jullie wil voorstellen en zelf ook aan het woord laten.
Enkele weken geleden werd ik namelijk gecontacteerd door Lowie van Eck. Lowie rende afgelopen jaar met zijn buddy Danny Verheezen op het NK Running Blind. Daar werden zij samen eerste. Lowie's zicht is al van jongs af aan beperkt. Na een periode van acceptatie heeft hij de knop om gezet om mooie dingen te bereiken zoals dit NK.
Lowie en Danny bij het NK. (Foto:Bartimeus website)
Lowie zelf aan het woord:
English version*
Yes! 2024. The year that together we will raise 100.000 euro for the BartimeusFonds. At least, if I have anything to say in it, which of course I do. But actually, at this moment it isn't even all up to me anymore. The adventure and the fundraiser is growing since several companies have shown interest, some atheletes are brainstorming with me on how to get more media attention and behind the curtain people are working on planning, materials needed en exposure.
It is for that reason that I would like to introduce an awesome guy who contacted me several weeks ago. This person is Lowie van Eck. Lowie ran the National Championsship RunningBlind last year and won. He and his buddy Danny Verheezen won the 15km in just over an hour. Lowie's own eyesight is limited ever since his childhood and after a period of learning to accept he managed to go out and achieve great things like this National Championship.
Lowie en Danny at the National Championship. (Photo:Bartimeus website)
Lowie says:
From 6% to 0%
In 2023 I had a new diagnosis done in the diagnostic centre of Bartiméus. My visual capabilities were last measured in 2010 en aside from that the actual cause of my visual impairment (Opticus Atrofy) wasn't diagnosed. Actually I did not know a lot about my own eye-disease and I was hoping for more clarity via a new diagnosis. Luckily the results indeed taught me more. With both of my eyes I have 6% eyesight which is lower than the 20% I always assumed I had. After having genetical research done I learned that my disease is heriditary: ADOA. Being more aware of my own visual impairment braught me more than I would have assumed beforehand. After this (new) diagnosis I got more fitting help via Bartiméus and I visited a day with other people with a comparable situation organized by the Cure ADOA Foundation. I really wish for everybody to have a good diagnosis as early as possible and in that wish I am not the only one. Björn, Maja's dad, shares this wish. His daughter is blind from birth and they also benefited tremendously from an early diagnosis. That's why Björn and I will run the half marathon of the 3Bergenloop, on March 2nd 2024. We hope to gain more exposure for this fundraising adventure Björn is currently doing.
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