Two men from Mid Ulster began a run from Mizen Head in County Cork to Malin Head in County Donegal on Friday 14 August. Sammy Lupari and Steven Henry are undertaking the M2M Resilience Run, covering the full length of the island of Ireland. They hope to raise £100,000 for PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland and Diabetes UK Northern Ireland.

The pair expect the route to take several days and to involve hundreds of kilometres. They will deal with fatigue and changing weather conditions over the course of the challenge.

Henry said the death of his sister by suicide in August 2023, at age 52, led him to value organisations that offer help during difficult times. He described the run as a way to honour her memory and raise awareness of available support.

Lupari said the Type 1 diabetes diagnosis of his eldest son in 2021, at age six, showed the whole family how constant the management of the condition is. He said Diabetes UK Northern Ireland helps families navigate that journey, and he wants to give back while increasing awareness.

Both men said the focus should remain on the people and families the charities support every day, including those living with Type 1 diabetes, parents supporting a child, people struggling with mental health, and families coping with loss.

They are encouraging people across Ireland to follow the progress, contribute to the fundraising, and help raise awareness of the work of both charities.