Wheelbarrow miles. Vincent Monnerie, a 26-year-old from Loch, got it into his head to cover 700 kilometers on foot and 21 passes through the Alps… pushing a wheelbarrow. What motivates this young man is not the desire to surpass himself, even if the sporting challenge is real, but awareness of a cause close to his heart: the fight against Charcot’s disease. Like a pilgrimage, the man carries at arm’s length a fight that he has set himself in memory of his father who died of this neurodegenerative disease. Leaving on July 15 from Thonon-les-bains in Haute-Savoie, Vincent crisscrossed the Alps and went to meet the villagers and hikers. To those he meets, he tells his story and informs about Charcot’s disease. It also raises funds, all of which will be donated to research.
“Each pass crossed is a small victory against the disease”
Walking 700 km in a wheelbarrow is no picnic, but Vincent never lets up and keeps his goal in mind. “Pushing a wheelbarrow is very physical. But I enjoy this effort! Each pass crossed is like a small victory against the disease, for all those who have it”, he tells The New Republic. The journey is more important than the final destination, the city of Nice where he can leave his wheelbarrow, proud to have contributed to talking a little more about this pathology.
The Charcot’s disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a neurodegenerative disease that progressively affects neurons and leads to muscle weakness and paralysis.
Vincent Monnerie created a facebook page where he recounts his journey and its different stages with photos and videos and on which it is possible to make a donation. This “diary” is followed by more than 65,000 subscribers. Support that should encourage the young man a little more in his approach.
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