TWELVE-year-old James Dunn, who lives with the genetic skin blistering condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), has inspired seven men to take part in the world’s toughest ultra marathon.
James, of Calderstones, Liverpool, has such delicate skin that the slightest friction, such as rolling over in bed, causes it to blister and tear.
Each day he must endure a gruelling routine of lancing and dressing his blisters and he also uses a wheelchair. The effects of EB were highlighted in the award-winning documentary The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off.
But James is always smiling, despite his pain, and he works hard to promote the EB charity DebRA by attending events.
Now seven men, who first met when they ran across the Sahara desert a few years ago and later ran the Liverpool Half Marathon to help raise money for James’s wheelchair, are reuniting to take part in their most dangerous challenge yet – the Yukon Arctic Ultra.
Paul Howells, Andy Carr, Mark Allison, John Dodd, Paul Byard, Phil Lloyd and Barry Woods, will be trekking 320 miles across the Canadian arctic, sleeping outdoors and seeing off the threat of grizzly bears and wolves.
They hope to raise £40,000 for DebRA, the charity that supports families affected by EB, provides specialist EB nurses and funds research into effective treatments for the condition.
Last year 17 people took part in the Yukon Arctic Ultra but only seven managed to finish the gruelling challenge. This year the seven men will be among just 33 taking part.
Paul Howells, of Merseyside, who has become friends with the Dunn family, said it will be James’s bravery that keeps the men going.
He said: “I showed the other guys a video of James and there were a few tears among us. They have all met James and they see his smiling face and how happy he is and it is hard to understand how badly he is affected.
“This video showed him getting his dressings changed and everything he has to go through.
“When we ran the Sahara we all said never again. But I showed them the video so that we all understood that no matter how hard it gets for us, our pain will be temporary – James has got his for life.”
The men fly out to Canada on February 8. They will take part in a two-day survival course and the trek begins on February 11.
To sponsor them and help them reach their £40,000 target log on to www.justgiving.com/tent67.
