Colin Farrell To Run Dublin Marathon With Close Friend For Her 'Miracle' 40th Birthday

Colin Farrell is to run the Dublin Marathon in October, supporting a close friend to mark her miracle 40th birthday.

The Hollywood actor will run this marathon in support of her friend Emma Fogarty, who is battling the most severe form of agonising skin condition, epidermolysis bullosa (EB), also known as Butterfly Skin. 

Ms Fogarty who is from Abbeyleix, Co Laois, is Ireland's longest surviving person battling this illness, with her parents told that she would not living a week beyond birth. However despite this, Emma celebrated her 40th birthday last month, surviving cancer twice in the meantime. 

Farrell who will run the marathon to support the charity Debra Ireland, has also been praised by Fogarty who said: "I was really proud and grateful when he said he would run the marathon. It was amazing". 

"I mean, for Colin Farrell to run the marathon for Debra Ireland and have me included is something very special and it will be a very special moment for me". 

"He’s going to run 44km and that’s his challenge, but I’ll be doing the last four kilometres with him", She continued. "He’s going to push me and each kilometre we do together represents a decade of the life I’ve lived and survived with EB". 

"I think its going to be more emotional than I’m expecting but I can’t wait. It’s going to be great with him pushing me over that finish line". 

"the strongest person I've ever met"

Ahead of this marathon, Colin Farrell paid a wholesome tribute to Emma Fogarty, where he called her "the strongest person" he had ever met. 

"Emma Fogarty is not only the strongest person I’ve ever met and a true warrior, I’m lucky enough to call her a friend", Farrell stated. "For years now, I’ve been fortunate enough to bear witness not only to her courage and her vulnerability, but her humour, her stubbornness and her great, great heart too". 

"The fact that I’m getting to run the Irish Life Dublin Marathon with my friend to celebrate her 40th birthday is something I’m so excited about. She's already won the whole day!". 

As mentioned, Farrell will be supporting Debra, with the proceeds raised from 'Emma's Run to 40' being used to help pioneering research which could transform the future for everyone with EB in Ireland.

Colin Farrell and Emma Fogarty will run this marathon on October 27.