Surrey man, 67, walks end-to-end across Ireland for Alzheimer’s Society to raise awareness for dementia
Mark Saunders, a 67-year-old retired university professor from Guildford, is taking on a new challenge for charity: walking the 589-mile length of Ireland to help raise awareness and funds for dementia.
In the summer of 2022 Mark Saunders walked the length of Great Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats (a walk called LEJOG) using national trails, paths, and quiet minor roads.
This trek spanned 1126 miles, included 79,400 ft of ascent and took 85 days.
In 2023, driven by his passion for adventure and long-distance trekking, Mark walked the length of Sri Lanka. This tropical trek was 480-miles long, had 39,600 ft of ascent and took 35 days.
His effort raised funds to help tackle the number of suffering homeless street dogs in Sri Lanka by funding a day-long sterilisation and vaccination clinic.
The success of this first clinic has led to more charity money being raised and to two further full-day street dog sterilisation clinics being funded in Sri Lanka.
In August and September 2024, Mark will take on a new challenge: walking the entire 589-mile length of Ireland to support two dementia charities, the Alzheimer’s Society – covering England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.
Dementia is a chronic brain disorder that affects countless lives, robbing individuals of their memories and decision-making abilities.
An estimated one in three people in the UK and Ireland will be diagnosed with dementia in their lifetime, yet there is still no cure.
The Alzheimer’s Society and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland provide essential support to those living with dementia and work towards groundbreaking treatments.
Mark’s end-to-end trek of Ireland will take about 40 days, encompassing stunning landscapes and 41,600 ft of hill climbs, from Dursey Island in southwest County Cork to Ballycastle on the north coast of County Antrim.
Mark said: “After completing LEJOG I realised it would be rewarding to apply my passion for adventure to fundraise for charity.
“I did this first in Sri Lanka and will be doing the same in Ireland.
“This time I am fundraising for dementia because it is a cause that is close to my heart as both my father and grandfather battled this condition.
“I hope to continue doing long-distance walks in aid of charity whilst I remain physically able!”