Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 I am raising money for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland because the vital work they do in research and supporting individuals and family members who have been affected by Chest, Heart and Stroke illnesses is invaluable.  Below are some of the ways in which my family has been affected.

On the 31st of May 2006, 5 weeks premature and by emergency caesarian, my daughter Chloe was born.  We had known throughout the pregnancy that Chloe had a heart problem and so were fortunate to have a team of specialist on hand at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary who immediately attended to her needs.  Chloe spent the first 9 weeks in the neo-natal unit and the Royal Hospital for Sick Kids, where she had multiple procedures and operations to save her life.  Thankfully Chloe returned home and spent the next 4-5 months enjoying life with her family and getting to know big sister Maya and brother Rory.  In the November Chloe had heart surgery to try and resolve some of her existing heart problems.  Although successful, it triggered a number of other underlying conditions to surface and Chloe spent a lot of the next 6 months in and out of hospital in Glasgow and Edinburgh.  Any time spent at home was precious and Chloe lived those moments to the full. 

Tragically, our beautiful little girl passed away in our arms in June 2007 after an unbelievably determined fight against an unwinnable battle of illnesses.  Her strength of character and love of life, remains a passion and inspiration to everyone in her family who were blessed by the moments they had in her company.

Later that year, I too became ill and by June 2008 I was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  Thankfully a 6 month course of chemotherapy saw me right and with the birth of little Roisin the previous September gave me the boost I needed to get back to full health. 

Hoping that life would grant us some respite, we were stunned when in May 2012 my wife suffered a massive stroke.  She spent a week in intensive care in a very critical condition, even getting to the point where the doctors asked me to gather the family because it was thought she would not make through another day.  But Sarah was made of more determined stuff and like her daughter she fought on.  The stroke has had a significant effect, but Sarah is happy, healthy and continues to make steps towards recovery every day.

Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland provided invaluable support, advice and information to both Sarah and our family and provided Sarah with a network of support.  Other members of our immediate family have also suffered from serious heart problems, which have placed their lives at risk.  The importance of research and the development of effective treatments that are supported through Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland are invaluable to families like ours and many others the length and breadth of Scotland.

That’s why, in memory of our beautiful girl Chloe and in support of the courage and determination of other close family members, I will be running from my home in Dunbar, to Shetland where I grew up this summer (July 30th-August 8th).  A total distance of approximately 370 miles over the course of 10 days from Dunbar up the middle of Scotland, through Altnaharra and onto Scrabster where I'll then take the ferry to Orkney, run around the south mainland, before making the final trip up to Shetland and a circuit from Lerwick, around the Tingwall Valley and back to finish at my parents.

Please give what you can, in support of this cause and feel welcome to join me along the way, my facebook page will carry updates on my progress.  
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