Epic hike raises over £5k for sick kids
16 Nov 10
Inspirational CA walks and climbs 500 miles for hospital which saved his son
Iain Ross CA, group financial controller of the Craig Group, has successfully completed a grueling 500-mile hike through Yosemite National Park and the John Muir Trail in California, raising over £5,500 for the Edinburgh Sick Children’s Hospital and Angus Carers Autism Group. Two of the other six walkers who took part in the hike – Joanne Helen Chapman and Douglas Christopher Ross – are also CAs.
Much of the money raised to date will go towards providing new “Sat-Nav for Kids” brain surgery equipment for the Sick Kids Hospital.
Ross and his wife have been fundraising for a decade, since their son Callum, who has autism, suffered a serious seizure just days before his first birthday. After surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain, Callum went on to make a full recovery.
The hike, which saw each member of the team ascend a distance equivalent to Mt Everest, was a particular milestone for Ross, who himself became seriously ill around six years ago, losing the sight in one eye. He commented that the fight back to fitness had been “life changing”.
Keeping with the “500-miles” theme, Ross’s next planned fundraising venture is a charity auction supported by the Proclaimers musical, Sunshine on Leith. As well as a copy of the musical’s score, signed by star Billy Boyd and other cast members, the items up for auction include a night at a Malmaison hotel, a Premier League football match, a golfing holiday in St Andrews and more.
Donations can still be made to Ross’s justgiving page, which also contains details of the charity auction, to be held on Saturday 20 November.