Why I’m Raising Money

Next weekend, I’ll be attempting Misogi I: a one-push crossing of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Starting in Courmayeur, Italy, I’ll move continuously for up to 36 hours through Switzerland and back to Chamonix, France. It’s ~110 km with over 6,000 metres of climbing — a true Misogi: outcome uncertain, process transformative.

Originally, I had planned to complete the UK Three Peaks Challenge. But with the Euretina congress in Paris and clinical duties in Oxford, the logistics of travelling the length of the UK became impossible. Rather than delay, I’ve chosen to pivot to the Alps — using the opportunity to finish the part of the TMB I haven’t yet done.

I’m dedicating this effort to the Fred Hollows Foundation, an organisation whose mission (ending avoidable blindness globally) resonates deeply with me as someone working in ophthalmology and having spent time in resource-poor areas such as rural Australia and South Africa.

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Lifetime Impact—A Legacy of Sight

From its humble beginnings around Fred and Gabi Hollows’s kitchen, the Foundation has grown to operate in over 25 countries and has now restored sight to more than 3 million people worldwide.

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2023 Impact Snapshot:

612,000+ sight-restoring operations and treatments

6.9 million people received antibiotics to combat trachoma

154,000 pairs of glasses distributed

36,800+ doctors, nurses, and teachers trained

1,951 medical facilities or training centres equipped or built

5.9 million schoolchildren and community members educated on eye health

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Total (2023 alone): Millions Transformed

In 2023, the Foundation directly impacted over 12 million lives—through surgeries, treatments, education, and infrastructure.

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Return on Your Donation; Efficiency That Matters

Your gift does more than restore someone’s sight. It delivers lasting economic and social benefits:

For every A$1 invested, there's an estimated A$4 return in economic value.

Cataract surgery alone yields about US$20.50 per dollar spent; refractive error treatments return US$8–10.80 per dollar spent.

In short: your donation goes further than you think.

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I’m climbing these mountains so others can experience the world with clearer vision. Each step is a tribute to sight regained and life transformed. Let’s make every penny count.

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Support This Mission of Sight and Life

£25 can restore someone’s sight. Larger donations create exponential impact, both in life regained and futures reshaped.