But the Mission Continues – thank you!
As darkness swept around the globe in mid-November since 2011, over 250,000 people like you worldwide got up from their armchairs, slipped on their red flashing armbands and pulled on their running shoes to Run in the Dark. Together, from Sydney to San Francisco, this global movement lit up the night as you hit the road to support our mission to cure paralysis in our lifetime.
It all started after a fall from a second story window nearly killed me back in 2010. I broke my back and the damage to my spinal cord left me paralysed.
With my late friend Piers White leading the charge, Run in the Dark emerged to support me in those early days. Then, with the incredible leadership of Paula Cunniffe, Run in the Dark continued to grow internationally and allowed me and my fiancée, Simone George, to catalyse collaborations valued at over $100 million.
Combining initiatives with the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders and work carried out in partnership with The Dock, Accenture’s flagship R&D and Global Innovation Centre, we have worked with scientists, technologists and investors to:
- Co-create international neuromodulation and robotics research studies in Ireland and the US.
- Build an exoskeleton rehabilitation programme in Ireland.
- Facilitate multi-stakeholder relationships across Europe and the US to help the commercialisation of academic research.
- Work alongside the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and Wings for Life Spinal Research Foundation.
2024 marked our most successful Run in the Dark yet, and while the event series has come to an end after 14 fantastic years, the mission continues.
As I step into this next chapter, I’ll be continuing to pursue that mission by:
- Connecting scientists and technologists with the appropriate business know-how, capital, and regulatory expertise to find a cure for paralysis in our lifetime.
- Delivering keynote talks to support leaders and their teams to build resilience, optimise performance, and collaborate effectively so that they achieve more than they thought possible.
- Advancing my understanding of how human beings deal with challenges and move beyond them through a Professional Doctorate in Elite Performance.
Thank you for being part of Run in the Dark and contributing to our mission to bring people together to cure paralysis in our lifetime.
Mark Pollock
PS If you’d like to learn more about my speaking go to www.markpollock.com
