11 September 2013

Blind soldier marching from Canberra to Sydney

| Barcham
Join the conversation
3

Liam Haven lost 98% of his vision in a bomb blast while on duty in Iraq.

Liam is now planning to walk from Canberra to Sydney to raise money for Soldier On and Guide Dogs Victoria, as well as raise awareness of injured soldiers. He will be accompanied by his guide dog, other injured soldiers, and anyone else who would like to join him.

About the Event?
Liam will be walking from Sydney to Canberra to raise money and awareness for Soldier On and Guide Dogs Victoria. On the walk he will be accompanied by Omen, his faithful Guide Dog, trekking 60 kilometres per day. Liam hopes he will be joined by prominent members of the Australian community, and fellow wounded soldiers on what will be a difficult and challenging journey. Liam hopes to walk over 350 kilometers.
The money raise from this event will be split equally between Soldier On and Guide Dogs Victoria.

Who is Liam Haven?
Liam was wounded in 2008 when a roadside bomb exploded whil he was on a tour of duty in Iraq. The explosion robbed Liam of most of his sight, left with only 2% of his vision since the blast. Since returning to Australia, he remains in the Australian Defence Force and is now studying Psychology. He is also a passionate musician, playing guitar and singing in a local Melbourne band.
See Liam in the autumn 2013 issue of Guide Dog Tales.

What is Soldier On about?
Soldier On is about Australians coming together to show their support for our wounded. It’s about telling our diggers that we will always have their back; that we will remember those who have come home, as well as those that have died. It’s about giving the wounded the dignity they deserve and the chance to do and be whatever they choose. Soldier On is about the ANZAC spirit, and mateship and all Australians keeping their promise to take care of our wounded warriors.

Thus far he has raised $2,100, if you’d like to add to that number head over to his site.

Join the conversation

3
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Soldier On is helping a family friend, he suffers from PTSD after doing 4 tours of the Middle East. The stuff that poor bugger has seen is amazing, and you can understand how many of our deployed troops come back with physical and mental issues.

Joingler is right, legacy works for families of the deceased, Soldier On helps the living.

Morgan said :

Sounds like a great cause, does anyone know how Soldier On is different to Legacy?

My Grandmother was a War Widow with three children under five following WWII, Legacy are thought of very fondly in my family for the monetary and moral support they provided.

My understanding is Legacy has a strong focus on supporting families of soldiers who died in battle while Soldier on helps ex-soldiers come to terms with physical and mental wounds from battle. Both do crossover work into other areas.

I am not entirely sure of this so am more than happy to be corrected

Sounds like a great cause, does anyone know how Soldier On is different to Legacy?

My Grandmother was a War Widow with three children under five following WWII, Legacy are thought of very fondly in my family for the monetary and moral support they provided.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.