Samantha Habgood is fundraising for Vision Aid Overseas

Samantha Habgood's Fundraising Page

Flora London Marathon 2009

on 26/04/2009

Me with my medal!!!

Photos (1)

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Raising money for

Vision Aid Overseas

Charity Registration No. 1081695

Vision Aid Overseas aims to transform access to quality eyecare in developing countries. Over 500 million people worldwide are unnecessarily visually impaired because they do not have spectacles. This is due to the significant lack of eyecare services available in low and middle income countries. For people affected the consequences can be disadvantage and disability. Our vision is a world in which everyone has access to eyecare and spectacles.

Vision Aid Overseas develops sustainable eyecare services that ensure an impact for our patients:

* We establish International Vision Centres where high quality spectacles can be manufactured and sold at an affordable price following a thorough eye examination.

* We train healthcare workers in practical eye testing and vision health skills that equips them to work as primary eyecare workers in their local communities.

* We utilize the expertise of UK optical professionals who develop outreach services in areas away from existing facilities and who undertake teaching programmes across the developing world.

Our work is focused on improving the lives of people who are marginalised by poor eyesight and motivated by our belief that good vision should be a right for all, not just those who can afford it.

Page owner

Samantha Habgood

RSS

Raised: 48%

Target: £2,500.00
Raised so far: £1,194.76

Donate now

My story

Well I did it!!! I managed to finish in 5 hours 1 minute and 44 seconds! I feel really proud of myself and still a bit surreal now post-marathon. How will I fill my evenings now I don't have to run 30-40 miles per week???

The day went fantastically- I started of with a good pace and reached mile 14 without too much bother. After that point as it got hotter and hotter things got a lot harder and my pace really slowed down BUT I managed to run the whole way (apart from queuing for 10mins at one point to use the toilet!!). Things got really really hard at mile 24 and if it wasn't for the fact that I was really proud of myself and that I could see big ben so knew I was close and had the crowds cheering I think I would have stopped. I felt like I ran 2 races: mile 1-24 and mile 24-26.2!!

Crossing that line was the most amazing feeling in the world and I really don't mind my whole body hurting today (2 days after) because I know what I've acheived.

This page will still take donations for another 2 months so if you haven't sponsored me yet but reading about my experience has made you want to then please please help me raise as much as I can for VAO. It really is an amazing charity and makes such a difference to thousands of peoples lives on each trip.

I recently went on a VAO direct service trip from 17th to 31st of January. We went to Burkina Faso and tested over 5300 patients and dispensed approximately 4900 pairs of spectacles. Seeing what the charity does first hand has really spurred me on to raise as much money as I can to further support their essential work. Please please dig deep in your pockets, every little helps to give the gift of sight.

What your money could buy:

£3 could pay for an eye test and a pair of spectacles for a child in Ethiopia.

£10 could pay for five pairs of spectacles to be glazed in Sierra Leone.

£21 could pay for an hour of traing of an optical worker in Zambia.

£150 could pay for an entire day of sight testing in Ghana.

£7500 could pay for an entire 2 week project in Uganda. Vision Aid Overseas could reach over 1500 patients!!!

Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Vision Aid Overseas gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!

	Well done Sam, you should be really proud. Donation by Steven Alexander 29/05/09	£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid
	Donation by paul 28/05/09	£80.00 + £22.56 Gift Aid
	Well done Spammy, you and your tu-tu are incredible! Donation by Doosh 04/05/09	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	A magnificent achievement Sam! Congratulations! Donation by Noel and Sheila 28/04/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Worth all the hard work Sam - fantastic achievement you did so well, so sorry we didn't see you. XX Donation by jenny & John 28/04/09	£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
	You did so well sam - was great to see you!!! Donation by Katie Chips 27/04/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Can't believe you won it!!! XXXX Donation by Matt Matt Matt Matt 27/04/09	£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
	Good luck Sam hope all the effort pays and your blister heel soon Donation by Dad Cath George & Dillon 25/04/09	£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
	Best of luck sam - we are thinking of you tomorrow! Donation by Labhaoise & Pete 25/04/09	£50.00
	Go on Roomie ;-) well done for all your efforts, you have done so well!!! Good luck and Ave, Ave, Ave Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Xxx Donation by Antoinette 25/04/09	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	Sam, best of luck; see you at the finishing line ;) Donation by Tom Jenkins 24/04/09	£21.00 + £5.92 Gift Aid
	Good luck sam. Me and owen are so very proud of you. We will be watching out for the green tutu on the tele! Love you millions xxx Donation by Becky & owen 23/04/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Good luck Sam! We'll be thinking of you and we'll keep an eye out for you on TV! xxxxx Donation by Anna, Andy & Bump 22/04/09	£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid
	Good luck - hope you enjoy it xx Donation by Kat & Gav 18/04/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	You're doing a great thing, again, Sam! Very proud of you and you amazing efforts! Best wishes on the day! Donation by Liz J 16/04/09	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	You'll be a little green bolt of lightning in your tutu!! A friend rewarded himself after every mile with 1 jelly baby!! You'll do grand lass!!! Jo x Donation by Jo Bennett 16/04/09	£10.00
	good luck Sam xx Donation by Rachael Lightfoot 16/04/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Samantha all the very best as the day approaches, I wish you strength and success on the day, and satisfaction at a job well done. Have fun. Donation by Chris Lindop 16/04/09	£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid
	Fantastic work in Burkina Faso, well done and thank you Donation by Claire-Lise 09/04/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	It will be an amazing effort- good luck! Donation by Amy's Mum! 25/03/09	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	Crazy foo'. Good luck Sammy!!! Donation by Dan Turner 09/03/09	£26.00 + £7.33 Gift Aid
	To Sammy the Amazing Runner Bean - you can do it - go for it! xxx Donation by Amy Oliver 06/03/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Run Sammy Run!xxx Donation by Loz 28/02/09	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	Best of luck, Sam! Donation by Joanna 23/02/09	£10.00
	ave ave ave mariaaaaaaaaaaaa!!good luck chick!! just remember WHAM!! gesteriga and run!!!!xxxx Donation by Poonam 13/02/09	£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Donate now

* Total raised online:	£617.00
Offline donations:	£577.76
Gift Aid plus supplement:	£154.28

* Charities pay a small fee for our service.
Find out how much it is and what we do for it.