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BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Tayside and Central | Deafblind man to row Union Canal
For deafblind rower Michael Hamilton-Anderson it is about awareness too.
The 65-year-old from Larbert is going to donate the money he raises to DeafBlind Scotland, which represents 700 hearing and sight-impaired members.
There are an estimated 5,000 deafblind Scots, and Michael hopes that his marathon 34 mile row will get the public thinking not just about the challenges they face, but also what they are capable of, given the right support.
When Michael is in the water on Wednesday, that support will come from Stirling Rowing Club Captain David Plank, who has been training with Michael and will be his partner in a double sculling crew.
'Long journey'
He points out though that getting his project from concept to cast off has been a long journey, and he and David have had a lot of dry-side help too.
"I started rowing at school in Glasgow, but that was more than 40 years ago," says Michael.
"When I left school I stopped rowing, and I gradually lost my sight and my hearing.
"But when the Falkirk Wheel opened five years ago I thought why not row the length of it? So rowing the Union Canal - that's my project.
"I thought about doing this to keep depression at bay and show what visually and hearing impaired people can do."
DeafBlind Scotland's InTouch project helped him find a willing sculling partner in David Plank.
"He didn't bat an eyelid, metaphorically speaking," says Michael.
Nevertheless, rowing does throw up specific challenges for Michael - over and above the distance involved.
"The canal itself is maybe a foot below the bank, and the row locks (that hold the oars) stick out.
"So the boat will be maybe 18 inches away from the side. You need something like a floating pontoon to know where to put your feet."
Michael, like all deafblind people, relies heavily on touch to communicate and orientate himself.
David and Michael will have a cox sitting in the boat to keep them in line, and they will row from the Rowing Club at Stirling to the end of the Union Canal at Edinburgh's Fountainbridge.
"I don't expect to do it in one fell swoop," says Michael, "But I'd hope I'll do it in the same day."
For deafblind rower Michael Hamilton-Anderson it is about awareness too.
The 65-year-old from Larbert is going to donate the money he raises to DeafBlind Scotland, which represents 700 hearing and sight-impaired members.
There are an estimated 5,000 deafblind Scots, and Michael hopes that his marathon 34 mile row will get the public thinking not just about the challenges they face, but also what they are capable of, given the right support.
When Michael is in the water on Wednesday, that support will come from Stirling Rowing Club Captain David Plank, who has been training with Michael and will be his partner in a double sculling crew.
'Long journey'
He points out though that getting his project from concept to cast off has been a long journey, and he and David have had a lot of dry-side help too.
"I started rowing at school in Glasgow, but that was more than 40 years ago," says Michael.
"When I left school I stopped rowing, and I gradually lost my sight and my hearing.
"But when the Falkirk Wheel opened five years ago I thought why not row the length of it? So rowing the Union Canal - that's my project.
"I thought about doing this to keep depression at bay and show what visually and hearing impaired people can do."
DeafBlind Scotland's InTouch project helped him find a willing sculling partner in David Plank.
"He didn't bat an eyelid, metaphorically speaking," says Michael.
Nevertheless, rowing does throw up specific challenges for Michael - over and above the distance involved.
"The canal itself is maybe a foot below the bank, and the row locks (that hold the oars) stick out.
"So the boat will be maybe 18 inches away from the side. You need something like a floating pontoon to know where to put your feet."
Michael, like all deafblind people, relies heavily on touch to communicate and orientate himself.
David and Michael will have a cox sitting in the boat to keep them in line, and they will row from the Rowing Club at Stirling to the end of the Union Canal at Edinburgh's Fountainbridge.
"I don't expect to do it in one fell swoop," says Michael, "But I'd hope I'll do it in the same day."