Charlie Bird has opened up on a "strange" side effect of his motor neurone's diagnosis after he went for a walk at a scenic Dublin spot recently.
The former RTÉ broadcaster was diagnosed with the incurable illness around this time last year, revealing the news on the Late Late Show shortly afterwards.
Since then, he has used his platform to raise awareness of people's struggles, culminating when he and a whole host of friends scaled Croagh Patrick in Mayo earlier this year - raising over €3 million for Pieta House and the Irish Motor Neurone's Association while doing so.
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Now, he is helping to raise awareness of the work of the Samaritans by 'extending the hand of friendship' to the public as best he can.
Taking to Twitter on Monday evening, Charlie revealed that he had been supported during a tougher moment earlier that day.
He tweeted: "My Motor Neurone Disease effects me in strange ways, not for the first time I was walking the Pier in Dun Laoghaire today with Tiger and I ended up crying most of the way up and down. O God I Felt so embarrassed.
"But people did extend the hand of friendship to me. Thank you."
Charlie will appear at a special phone box in St Stephens' Green next month as part of the new Samaritans campaign.
“In the past I knew of a couple of people who were in a dark place and who found solace after they rang and spoke to someone in Samaritans,” said Charlie, launching his awareness campaign at the iconic The Wishing Hand sculpture by Linda Brunker at the Department of Education.
"Given all the pressures that people are under today, I think that it is really important that there is someone there at the end of a phone who will listen to you without making a judgement, at any hour of the day or night.
"Samaritans do a really powerful job. Their volunteers extend the hand of friendship to callers every day. Samaritans are there, on freephone 116 123, to listen to you, no matter what you’re going through - loneliness, isolation, grief, illness, financial hardship, mental health issues and for someone who might be having suicidal thoughts."
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