Cycling Senses

My name is Barbara and I became blind about 4 years ago. I will ride from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, to raise funds for the ABAADV guide dog school, the only one in the country.

ABAADV is the only guide dog school in Portugal and is located in Mortágua in the district of Viseu http://www.caesguia.org/

The estimated value for the education of a guide dog is approximately €18 000, and the blind person receives it completely free of charge. With this campaign we intend to raise 6500€ to ensure the ABAADV school reproduction program for one year. My disability did not impose limits on me. My disability helped me to realize that I must organize this campaign to overcome myself, to put myself to the test, it made me ask the Portuguese Cycling Federation for help to get a loan for a bicycle, it made me relearn how to ride a bike in dark and impelled me to face the fear of pedaling in traffic. Our lives can change in seconds and today I'm the one in need of support, tomorrow it could be someone else. It is important for us to be able to help each other and there are often small gestures, small help, that become big, that make a difference. For a blind person to have a guide dog is to have safe mobility again. Your help can make that difference, it can improve the lives of many blind people. I count on you. Together we will ride and climb this mountain!

About the author

I'm Bárbara Pereira, I'm 40 years old, I have 2 daughters and I became blind in 2017. I've always had an active life and practicing sports helped me to continue my journey. That's why I had the idea of creating this initiative, to help those like me who need support to continue to be more autonomous. I have dreams and goals and my disability does not prevent me from continuing to fight for an increasingly inclusive society. I don't want pity, I want full inclusion! My disability did not impose limits on me. My disability helped me to understand that I must organize this campaign, made me ask the Portuguese cycling federation for help to get a loan for a bicycle, made me relearn how to ride a bike in the dark and impelled me to face fear to ride in the middle of traffic. I believe in an increasingly inclusive society, where mutual help prevails. Today, I'm the one to stand up for this initiative. Our lives can change in seconds and today I'm the one in need of support, tomorrow it could be someone else. It is important for us to be able to help each other and there are often small gestures, small help, that become big, that make a difference. Let's go up this mountain together!

Budget and due dates

  With this campaign we intend to raise 6500€, to ensure the breeding program of the guide dog school for one year. The journey to Santiago de Compostela will start in mid-October.

Images

Documents

• brochura_abaadv_2021.pdf

  pdf • 1.44 MB