A Co Tyrone man has raised over £27,000 for frontline nurses helping in the fight against Covid-19, after running a marathon on a treadmill in his shed.
Seanie Meyler, 54, set himself a fundraising target of £4,000, which he planned to donate to the Covid-19 Intensive Care Unit in Enniskillen, where his wife Paula works - but his total has now topped over £27K.
Seanie, who ran the marathon distance on his 54th birthday, said he combined his passion for running with a purpose of fundraising and giving back, and things "kind of exploded from there."
"I went into my shed on April 4 and I thought I'd run 10 mile on the treadmill to see what it was like, and I done it and then thought, 'you know what I could do a marathon on this treadmill'.
"I mentioned it to my wife Paula and the kids and then by the Thursday morning I set up a fundraising page and that's where it all started. It just exploded.
"Paula works in the ICU Covid-19 unit in Enniskillen so she is frontline. She's a nurse in Omagh but they have been moved up to Enniskillen, so really this is about a cause, it isn't about me and I want to get that message out.
"This is about frontline workers who have a purpose and a vocation. I set an original goal for £4,000 and now we have raised over £27,000 and I really just have to thank the people who have donated because times are tough and people are still putting their hands in their pockets.
"I am a keen runner so there was no problem in doing a bit of running but obviously, I hadn't trained for a marathon. I knew it would be tough but I had the passion for the running and then had a purpose which was fundraising and then it came together.
"The doctors and nurses working across all the hospitals whether it be in Derry, Enniskillen or Belfast, their focus is on the patients. There's a job to be done and they do it, and it's all about care with them. It does take a special kind of person to do their job.
"It is part of their values. They aren't going round looking for praise or pats on the back, they do it because they care for patients. And this is all about thanking them."
To donate to Seanie's fundraiser CLICK HERE.
