A Perth Black Watch soldier with a life-limiting condition is preparing to trek 54 miles to raise funds for other soldiers, veterans and their families.
As part of his ‘bucket list’, Lance Corporal (LCpl) Shaun McKenna will once again take part in ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp.
The gruelling event challenges teams of soldiers, veterans and civilians to walk 22, 36 or 54 miles across the rugged terrain of the Perthshire countryside in less than 24 hours.
Participants will head off on the Cateran Trail in the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains at 6am on Saturday, June 3, returning to Blairgowrie in the early hours of Sunday, June 4.
Last year’s event raised just over £500,000 for soldiers, veterans and their families, with 630 participants travelling from as far as the U.S, Canada, Australia, Cyprus, Poland and the Netherlands.
Thirty-two-year-old LCpl McKenna, who suffers from Huntington’s Disease, joined The Black Watch at the age of 17 and was deployed to Operations Herrick 10 and 15, the final phase of the UK’s combat operations in Afghanistan. Operation Herrick was the codename under which all British operations in Afghanistan were conducted from 2002.
He was also deployed to Cyprus on Operation TOSCA, the second-largest deployment of British Army personnel overseas, serving with United Nations peacekeeping Forces. LCpl McKenna is currently assigned to Scotland and Northern Ireland Personnel Recovery Centre (Edinburgh Company) (S&NI PRU) on Recovery Duty.
His role within 3 SCOTS prior to being assigned to S&NI PRU was within the Pipes and Drums Platoon as a physical training instructor.
LCpl McKenna, who grew up on the Isle of Skye, Fort William and Perth, said: “When I first fell ill, I was forgetting parades and making mistakes I had never made before.
“I wasn’t performing to the high standards my unit was used to and, being the Unit Physical Training Instructor, was physically fit, but my memory was declining.
“My unit recognised there was an issue and asked me to seek medical advice. In January 2022, I was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease.”
Huntington’s disease is a life-limiting condition that gradually stops parts of the brain from working properly.
Inherited from a parent, the degenerative condition is usually fatal after a period of up to 20 years.
The symptoms usually start at 30 to 50 years of age but can begin much earlier or later.
Symptoms of Huntington’s disease can include difficulty concentrating and memory lapses, depression, stumbling and clumsiness and involuntary jerking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body.
People with Huntington’s may also suffer from mood swings and personality changes, problems with swallowing, speaking and breathing, and difficulty moving.
LCpl McKenna added: “Last year, I took part in my first ever Cateran Yomp with my Personnel Recovery Officer (PRO) Capt.
“Morven Sayer and a small unit team. My goal was to reach Gold, the full 54-mile route, as fast as I could. I was delighted to achieve this in 20 hours.
“To me, it shows what can be done despite my illness and the future I face.
“Raising money for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity makes me exceptionally proud.
“I wanted to join the army from a young age, am still a serving soldier and am acutely aware of the work the charity does to support the army’s serving and veteran community.
“I have no doubt that if I needed their support in the future, they would be there for me.
“I’m gearing up for June, once again going for Gold and hope to do as many Yomps as possible in the future.”
Since March 2022, LCpl McKenna has lived at the Scotland and Northern Ireland Personnel Recovery Centre (S&NI PRC), a sub-unit of Scotland and N Ireland Personnel Recovery Unit.
The PRC, a conducive military environment with a focus on recovery, is independent but attached to Erskine Edinburgh Home, the veterans’ care home in Gilmerton.
LCpl McKenna continued: “I became a resident at the PRC as I had no suitable accommodation due to my illness and decline in cognitive ability.
“However, I keep incredibly busy and take part in the Vocational Activity Programme run by Andy Smith, himself a veteran, who is our training and liaison officer. I really enjoy mountain biking, so we enjoy trails in the Edinburgh area, walks in the Pentlands, archery, cultural visits such as Wallace Monument, fishing and wall climbing.
“Being competitive by nature and with a keen interest in history, I love all these activities.
“In the PRC, I have loads of company through courses, military and Erskine staff, visits from friends, family, and my previous unit.
“If I had stayed at home, I wouldn’t have had the chance to enjoy all these activities or to have the company I enjoy which would undoubtedly have led to a decline in my mental health.”
