‘From the Carry Row to Tokyo
‘From the Carry Row to Tokyo’ is Drew Cochrane’s true story of living with sight loss, when he developed an illness called Leber’s Optic Atrophy, a hereditary disease that his brother Ian also suffered from.
Born in the 1940’s in a rural townland, Drew had an interesting childhood with a house of boisterous siblings there was rarely a dull moment for the family and in this book, he entertains us with witty and poignant stories of growing up to the more devastating parts, when he discovered that he was losing his sight.
Although, Drew admits that he suffered from depression with the condition, he didn’t allow it to take over his life and through joining various clubs and groups, went on to compete in different sports whether it was tandem cycling around Lough Neagh, Dublin, or fundraising for local charities as well as competing in VI golf games across the world. With the friendships and the facilities and initiatives made available through RNIB NI, Drew never gave up on his love for sport and socialising and never let his disability limit his life or his ambitions.
The book also features photographs and press clipping from Drew’s life, giving the reader an insight into his journey and the many accomplishments that he has achieved through the years.
Written with the help of Multimedia Heritage, this story is an inspirational and emotional journey that is narrated with passion and commitment. Drew’s words speak loudly from the pages and creates such vivid imagery of the world that he now lives in, whether it’s on the golf course or with his family. He reflects on the moment of his depression and speaks honestly of his dark days, but through his drive for sport, he never give up. He became a legend in the local community for his dedication and perseverance and his determination to help others. A frank and honest story about resilience, injected with humour and warmth throughout, ‘From the Carry Row to Tokyo’ is an influential story about never giving up and grabbing life by the golf balls.
Sport NI supported this Book launch as it coincides with our project to make golf more inclusive for people of all abilities. We have 5 inclusive golf projects taking part across Northern Ireland open to a wide range of people from all ages, backgrounds and levels of abilities. The inclusive golf projects address the themes identified in the Active Living: No Limits 2016-2021 Action Plan.
The vision for Active Living: No Limits 2016-21 is that:
‘Everyone with a disability has an equal opportunity to access sport and active recreation leading to a healthier and more active lifestyle.’
The Inclusive Golf Programme offers an opportunity to take advantage of ‘The Open’ being hosted in Portrush in July 2019, and the Handa Vision Cup for Blind Golfers taking place in Portmarnock in June 2019.