Northern Ireland athlete Mark Pollock who was the first blind person to trek to the South Pole in 2009, has started working alongside Co. Antrim native Jonjo Bright.
Mark Pollock who was paralysed from the waist down after falling from a second-storey window, has been in the news on many occasions since his accident as he has been searching for a cure for paralysis.
It is from his paralysis that he developed a friendship with former point-to-point jockey Jonjo and the pair have both been using exoskeleton bionic suits which is a device that enables people with lower limb disabilities to walk upright with the aid of crutches. The normal issues such as Skin Breakdown, Blood Pressure issues and many other related problems which can occur can be significantly reduced with regular use of the exoskeleton bionic suit.
Jonjo, who had a life changing accident on the 2nd March 2013 when he got a fall at Tyrella resulting in a serious spinal injury which left him paralysed from the neck down has been using the exoskeleton suit three times a week which was developed by Patrick McStravick, from Bangor, County Down.
Pollock who won Bronze and Silver medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2002, also runs the Mark Pollock Trust which is a charity that is connecting people to fast track a cure for paralysis. It is from his charity that he has organised Run In The Dark which is taking place on Wednesday 15th and 22nd November at Dublin, Cork, Belfast, London and Manchester.
To find out more about both Jonjo and Marks charities clink on the links below.
