Meath's bravest asked to walk over hot coals for charity

Meath's bravest people are being asked to walk over burning coals for children who live their lives in chronic pain.

Irish skin charity Debra Ireland is giving people the chance to fire up their lives by undertaking a unique new year challenge.

Billed as the hottest event in town, the Debra Ireland Firewalk takes place in Dublin's Stillorgan Park Hotel on Friday, 27th January.

The search is on for individuals and groups brave enough to take a short walk over three meters of wood embers burning at 800 degrees.

'Far from being impossible, fire walking is truly awesome and after doing it you feel you can achieve whatever you are aiming for in life,' said Judith Gilsenan, Head of Fundraising for Debra Ireland.

'It's an amazingly empowering experience and a chance to ignite your passion and discover what you can really do.

'A firewalk might sound a bit scary but it is people with EB who are the real superheroes and they need our support.”

Debra Ireland supports people in Ireland living with EB (epidermolysis bullosa), an incredibly painful skin condition that causes the skin layers and internal body linings to blister and wound at the slightest touch.

Before undertaking the world's shortest sponsored walk, participants undergo a two hour training session of mental and physical preparation.

And organisers say that the skills learned to get people safely through a firewalk are useful long after the event.

'You learn to break through your own limitations and overcome your fears,' said firewalking instructor Brian Moore.

'By conquering the fears that are holding you back you discover power to achieve what you want in any area of your life, be it in your personal relationships, in work, in business or in sport.'

Those taking part in the firewalk are asked to pay a €50 registration fee and raise €200 for Debra Ireland.

Rachel Connors, mum of Casey 4 who lives with the chronic pain of EB, took part in the firewalk last year.

'People with EB live with constant pain, skin blisters and open wounds and currently there is no cure, the only form of treatment is constant painful bandaging of the skin,” said Rachel.

'Debra Ireland is striving to end this heartache by providing support to EB patients and funding research to find treatments and cures for EB and skin cancer.'

Those brave enough to take up Debra's firewalking challenge should emerge from the experience unscathed but invigorated.

'Afterwards people generally feel absolutely fine,' said firewalker Brian Moore.

'Their feet are usually tingling afterwards like they have been walking on hot sand or gravel and some say their feet are cold like snow, but that's it.'

To register or find out more about Debra's Firewalk challenge see www.debraireland.org, email lyndsey@debraireland.org or call (01) 412 6924