Whanganui optometrist Ian Russell is running the Auckland half marathon on Sunday to raise money for the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Mr Russell, who recently moved to Whanganui with his family, is the new Specsavers Wanganui optometrist director and has done volunteer work in Fiji and Tanzania. He also volunteered with the foundation in Vanuatu, helping people with eye disease.
"I travelled to Vanuatu in 2011 and while I was there I conducted eye tests on hundreds of patients who could otherwise have gone blind," Mr Russell said.
"My time there really stuck with me. It showed me how important the work that the Fred Hollows Foundation does is and how a small amount of money can go a long way."
The Fred Hollows Foundation is part of the Specsavers Community Programme, which gives a portion of all glasses' sales to charities, and is an Auckland Marathon charity partner.
