Harry is taking on this incredible challenge with his friends Davie and Norrie to support their childminder Morven who is taking part in the Maggie’s 500 Cycle in September.

Harry was born on 07/12/16 at 35+6 weeks. Soon after delivery, he was flown from Inverness to Glasgow where it was discovered he had a Congenital Heart Defect called Transposition of the Great Arteries.

He then had an operation to correct the defect but this left Harry with a brain injury where his parents were told he would not walk or talk, but here he is taking on an incredible 500 metre challenge in his walker around Culloden House Hotel..

Morven has written below to tell us all about Harry and how this incredible challenge came about:

“I began working as a childminder 15 years ago after being made redundant following the birth of my first child. After 5 years I began offering care & respite to children with Additional Support Needs and/or Complex Health issues.

I was introduced to Harry in January 2020; he had spent most of his life in hospital and his mum Claire was juggling caring for Harry and looking after his two big brothers. He began coming to me for day care for two hours, twice a week but when the pandemic hit last year, all but key worker childcare stopped, so I did not see Harry again until just before Christmas last year. He had spent several months in hospital in Aberdeen until he was finally transferred to Raigmore Hospital in December. I was asked if I could go a sit with him two evenings a week to let Mum go home to the rest of the family. The first evening I went into the Children’s Ward, Claire said it was the first time in 5 months she was able to give her two older sons their dinner. It was heart breaking but what an inspiring family. Harry, unless he is very poorly, always has his cheeky wee smile on his face and Claire never complains, she is such an amazing mum to her three boys.

When I was telling her about the 500 miles for Maggie’s Challenge, we thought it would be fun to do something with Harry and his two friends, Davie & Norrie. Harry could barely pull himself up to standing when I first met him so for him to walk 500 metres round the drive at Culloden House would be fantastic.

It is typical of Harry and his family to want to help me regardless of what they are going through. I am very proud to be part of their lives and am so excited to see Harry complete his 500‐meter challenge.”

Maggie's Highlands provides free practical, emotional and social support for people with cancer and their family and friends across the whole of the Highlands. Maggie's offers a programme of support that has been shown to strengthen physical and emotional well being. Built in the grounds of Raigmore Hospital, the centre is a warm and welcoming place with professional staff on hand to offer the support people need to find their way through cancer.