Posted: January 25, 2005

Triathlon: Seeing Is Believing Works To Prevent And Cure Blindness In Developing Countries

Mike DeNoma, a Director in charge of consumer banking at Standard Chartered, is doing this year's NZ Ironman and is dedicating his race to a cause called Seeing is Believing. Mike is trying to raise enough funds to help 226,000 blind people have their sight restored and he is requesting the public's help.

The following letter is from Mike:

I need your help.

Imagine just for one minute that you are blind, that everything you see is taken from you, how would that affect your life? Think of all the things you do now that you wouldn't be able to do, the people you love that you couldn't see anymore. Wouldn't you pay US$30 to have that reversed? Of course you would! I would.

Now, imagine how you'll feel if you could restore a child's sight.

My name is Mike DeNoma, I'm a Director at Standard Chartered Bank and I'm 48 years old.

I'm training for the Ironman New Zealand competition on 5th March 2005, where I'll swim 3,800m, cycle 180,000m and run a marathon at 42,200m. That's a total of 226,000 metres.

I'm doing this to help change the lives of up to 226,000 people. That's one person per metre.

My race is dedicated to Seeing is Believing, our programme at Standard Chartered Bank that works to prevent and cure blindness in developing countries in partnership with VISION 2020 and Sight Savers International. There are 45million blind people in the world and 80% of those cases are avoidable. I'm hoping to raise enough sponsorship money to restore sight to 226,000 people, to alter their lives – and the lives of their families – for the better. I can't do it without your help.

My target is US$30 for every metre that I swim, cycle or run. That's the sum needed to pay to remove the cataracts from a child's eyes.

For example Joseph is a 15 year old boy from Kisii in Kenya. He has been blind since birth caused by Congenital Cataract, and is the youngest of seven children. Joseph can't work and will need someone to care for him for the rest of his life. There are many children like Joseph in Kenya.

I was inspired to compete in the Ironman by a young man called Henry Wanyoike in Nairobi at the Standard Chartered-sponsored marathon. Henry has been blind since he was 21, but has never let that disability hold him back. He runs marathons with his partner Joseph, and is a top class athlete, holding world records in the 5km, 10km and full marathon. He runs 10kms in 31 minutes.

What is amazing about Henry is that he wasn't a serious runner before he became blind. He told me that in Kenya it's normal for blind people to become beggars, but he was determined to achieve something different. He set his mind - and his body - to running. Henry showed me that ordinary people can do extra-ordinary things.

This race is going to be tough – at the beginning of 2004 I couldn't swim 50 metres let alone 3,800, but my arms will be stronger and my legs will pump harder and my feet will feel lighter if you help.

Please consider sponsoring me. This is simple to do. Click this link www.race4sight.org. and you will be able to "Donate online" by credit card in a secure environment. I will be notified of any donations and you can choose the exact metre you want to sponsor. Sight Savers International processes all donations.

If you wish to mail a donation or pledge, the postal address is:

Jerry Ngo
Seeing Is Believing Project Manager
Standard Chartered Bank
1 Aldermanbury Square
London
EC2V 7SB
United Kingdom

Any Cheques sent should be made payable to Sight Savers International.

Standard Chartered is matching donations for the first 8,000 metres dollar for dollar.

2) I know its asking a lot, but could you please spread the word.
Take this note, edit it, add your own start and then send it to anyone you think would be interested in helping.

If you need more information, or things to include, just ask me and I'll overwhelm you with bits and pieces!

We've had a number of generous individuals sponsor more than one metre if you would like too.

Funds from Seeing is Believing allowed Joseph to undergo two 20 minute operations and today he can see. Let's make a difference to 226,000 children like Joseph.

Thank you

Warmest regards,

Mike

PS... In return if you are running, biking, swimming, trekking for charity please email me so I can return the favour.

Further info:
Ironman New Zealand will be held on March 5th 2005. It's a one-day endurance race consisting of a 3.8km Swim, followed by a 180km Bike, and is completed with a 42km marathon Run. For further details on the race, check out www.ironman.co.nz

Seeing is Believing is Standard Chartered Bank's major global community fundraising project launched in 2003 with the aim is to make a real difference to the problem of blindness around the world.

In 2003 the Bank set up an ambitious target to raise more than US$1,000,000 enough to restore the sight of 28,000 people by World Sight Day, 9th October 2003, one person for each of Standard Chartered employees. Enough was raised to save the sight of 56,000 people!

In 2004 the Bank raised its ambition to raise enough funds to restore the sight of one million people over the next three years.

The Seeing is Believing project has been undertaken with Sight Savers International and in some countries with VISION 2020, 'The Right to Sight'.