Niall McCormack at John o’ Groats, Scotland, after completing a 1780km walk from Lizard Point in 64 days to raise funds for Eye Care for Africa and Glaucoma NZ.
Niall McCormack at John o’ Groats, Scotland, after completing a 1780km walk from Lizard Point in 64 days to raise funds for Eye Care for Africa and Glaucoma NZ.
A Hastings optometrist at Hawke’s Bay Hospital has completed a more than 1700km walk in the UK to raise funds for Eye Care for Africa and Glaucoma NZ.
Niall McCormack describes the experience as an “absolute ball”.
Helped by good weather, he finished a week ahead of schedule, walking for56 days with only eight rest days, although his last three days were spent walking into a storm.
“The West Highland Way in Scotland was tough, and on the last day I walked basically a marathon into the wind,” he said.
“It’s always great when people come up to you to chat, share their own experiences with cataracts or glaucoma, and donate.”
Niall McCormack's journey, documented on YouTube, raised more than $20,000 for Eye Care for Africa. Photo / Supplied
McCormack walked the entire length of the United Kingdom, starting from the most southern tip at Lizard Point in Cornwall and finishing at John o’ Groats in Scotland. He documented the entire journey through daily video diaries on his YouTube channel.
This kind of venture is not new to McCormack. In 2022, he walked New Zealand’s 3026km Te Araroa Trail in 134 days, also to raise funds for Eye Care for Africa, the charity he founded in 2017 to bring essential eye care to some of east Africa’s most underserved communities.
His latest walk raised money for both Eye Care for Africa and Glaucoma NZ, a charity he volunteers with monthly as co-facilitator of the Taradale-based Glaucoma Peer Group.
“I work overseas in Tanzania on a voluntary basis, and the first walk helped fund the construction of a small clinic in remote Tanzania,” McCormack said.
“The whole idea behind the UK walk was to try and raise further funds to equip the building with eye equipment.”
Niall McCormack built the eye clinic in rural Tanzania with funds from his 2022 Te Araroa Trail walk and is now raising money for specialist eye-care equipment.
“Glaucoma New Zealand jumped on the bandwagon for this trip, and I hoped to raise awareness for both causes,” he said.
Fundraising for Eye Care for Africa topped $20,000, while contributions to Glaucoma NZ were at just under $2000.
According to Glaucoma NZ, glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness in New Zealand, with about half of those affected unaware they have the condition. With the right treatment, 98% of people with glaucoma will keep their sight.
Originally from the UK, McCormack, who specialises in paediatric, cataract and glaucoma care, moved to New Zealand in 1989. He lives in Hastings with his wife, and their son is based in New Plymouth.
“They think I’m crazy,” he said, laughing about his long-distance adventures.
For now, McCormack is resting before heading to Tanzania next month with a small medical team from Hawke’s Bay for another volunteer trip.
