At 85, Joseph Mallia has lost his sight, has diabetes, has undergone a serious heart intervention and uses a walking aid as he recovers from fractures in his lower body.
But none of this has stopped him from embarking on a marathon in aid of Puttinu Cares, which he is planning on completing in 365 days.
Since Boxing Day, Joseph – known as Josie – has been walking 1,000 steps daily in the terrace of a Tarxien home for the elderly.
He moved into Dar l-Annunzjata two years ago when he fractured his pelvis, and the idea of a marathon came to him during a physiotherapy session following a separate hip fracture last year.
“I don’t see, but I walk, so I decided to do a marathon in aid of Puttinu Cares – which I started on Boxing Day and will end this Christmas.
“I decided to walk for a whole year, rain or shine, not knowing whether I’ll make it, considering my age. But I am determined. My motto is: for me, for you and for world peace,” an emotional Josie told Times of Malta.
Sadly, Josie knows too well what it means to lose a child to leukaemia. The father-of-three lost his son Paul at the age of 16 over 40 years ago.
Josie, who will turn 86 in August, has been active from a young age. After a career as a Royal Air Force policeman and intelligence officer, eventually receiving a Marksman badge, he worked at a car factory in the US, and opened his furniture factory in Malta.
For as long as he can remember, he has always loved walking and would go for daily walks around his hometown of Santa Lucija before retiring.
“When I moved to Dar l-Annunzjata, I underwent a serious heart intervention. I was told that all I could do was walk, so I walked as much as I could – I would walk around the home (for the elderly) and on the roof. That’s what the pump (heart) needs.
“Walking is also the best exercise for the mind. When you are tired, go for a walk – it’s not your legs that are tired, but your brain.”
The late Paul, Lilian, Pierre and Josie in Detroit in the late 1960s. Photo provided by Pierre Mallia
A younger Josie in the RAF. Photo provided by Pierre Mallia
Joseph Mallia during the marathon. Photo: Karl Andrew Micallef
Family at Lilian and Joseph’s 50th wedding anniversary. Photo provided by family
Josie plans to walk the distance of a marathon in a year – and if he keeps it up, he will cover the distance of more than two marathons.
Most often, when he is out on the terrace, there is no one cheering him on between one marathon marker and the other, but one way to encourage Josie in his feat is to send donations to accounts that have specifically been created for the initiative: Revolut number 7735 4366 or HSBC IBAN – MT72MMEB4413 0000000013053061050.
Puttinu Cares
Puttinu Cares supports children and adults requiring cancer treatment. Around 80 patients need to travel to the UK for treatment every month. In 2008, Puttinu acquired its first block of eight apartments in Martin Court, Sutton. Over the years, it added another block of 12 apartments in Sutton, and more recently purchased a freehold building in central London. The charity has now applied for an extension to add another floor to the central London property for an additional 27 new studio apartments.
sarah.carabott@timesofmalta.com