A Dumfries man is preparing take on a tough challenge in a bid to raise cash for a charity close to his heart.
Keir Morton, 22, will take part in Tough Mudder at Drumlanrig Castle on July 2 for Breast Cancer Research Aid.
Keir’s mum Karen was diagnosed with the disease in 2016.
He said: “Fortunately it was found at the early stage so it hadn’t spread anywhere else. They managed to remove it so it was a relatively straightforward procedure.
“I was only 16 at the time so it was an extremely difficult time for the whole family.
“I think my mum knew that something was wrong before she was diagnosed as she was aware of the different symptoms which is so important because it could save your life.”
Keir will be taking on Tough Mudder with his Stirling University friends Kris, Rhys and Arran.
It won’t be the first time he’s raised money for charity.
He helped raise nearly £5,000 last November for pancreatic cancer research, in memory of his dad Alistair.
The PE and Teaching student, along with his sister Iona, took part in a month-long challenge called JogJan for Pan Can, which aims to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer – an illness which is fast spreading and difficult to detect.
Keir said: “We were initially so sure it was a stomach ulcer dad had. But as the months continued, he started to feel much worse. We knew something was wrong but just didn’t know what it was.”
By mid-December 2020, Alistair’s condition worsened, and he was experiencing pain in his shoulder as well as his legs. The family called out an emergency doctor and he was sent to hospital to have more tests, where they received the devastating news that he had pancreatic cancer which had spread to other parts of his body.
Sadly, he passed away just two weeks later, on New Year’s Day.
Keir added: “During the past four years, I’ve been through some tough times with losing my dad and my mum being diagnosed as well.
To make a donation, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/tough-mudder-for-breast-cancer-research-aid
