Tough Mudder is a 10 to 13 mile run/assault course with the usual obstacles along the way as well as an ice bath and some electric shock wires thrown in along the way. Here's why I'm doing it - 

In April 2011, Deborah and I took our little boy Brandon to the local doctors as he had a slight cold, which was giving him trouble with his asthma. The doctor checked him over and stunned us both when he said Brandon had a heart murmur and he was concerned about an air sound coming from his heart. The best way to describe it was listening to a bicycle pump pushing air out.

We were then sent for scans and tests at Stirling Royal Infirmary where we received the devastating news that Brandon had a large hole in the upper chambers of his heart.

We were then sent to The Royal Hospital for Sick Children – Yorkhill, Glasgow where more scans and tests were carried out. We received even more bad news, Brandon also had a deformed left AV valve in his heart. His surgery date was brought forward quickly due to the risks involved.

On the evening of 26^th July 2011, we met with Brandon’s surgeon who outlined all the risks. The greatest being that we may not get our little boy back – on the flip side if we did nothing we would lose him in any case. Other risks such as brain damage and complications of surgery were explained.

Wednesday 27^th July 2011 was the hardest day of my life. That morning I carried my little boy into a pre operating room where I cuddled him until the doctors had put him to sleep. I’ll always remember how scared he looked and how scared I felt. I then handed him to a team of 6 doctors and asked they gave me him back safe and sound. The next 7 hours were the longest of our lives. If I could have changed places with my son I would have in that moment.

7 hours later, Brandon was out of surgery. Deborah and I rushed to paediatric intensive care. Brandon was lying wired up to every machine conceivable. He heard us, turned and smiled and in a little voice said "hello mummy". It took me all my time to stay standing up. Brandon spent time in Yorkhill and then a few months at home recovering from his major surgery. During this time he was a complete star and a wee solider from start to finish.

Fast forward to today and I’m happy to say Brandon is now 6 and he is fit, healthy and full of life. Yes he has to go for scans and checks on a yearly basis and he may need a heart valve transplant in the future but that’s a bridge we’ll cross if and when we ever come to it.

That’s my story as to why I’m running Tough Mudder and raising funds for Yorkhill. To say a massive thank you to all the staff - surgeons, doctors, nurses and all those others who keep the place running. I’m also running for all the kids in there just now fighting their illnesses and for all those that have been in Yorkhill. Sadly some kids don’t survive their illnesses and I’m doing it in memory of them too. I know how lucky my family and I are.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my page and read my story. It’s hard to put into words what an amazing place it is and how you feel until you’ve walked a day in the shoes of a parent with a kid in Yorkhill. If you can make a donation both Brandon and I thank you very much.

Finally, my last words go to Brandon – You make me proud to be your daddy every day son, love you wee man, always, Daddy Xx