A retired Auchterarder GP has raised hundreds of pounds for Scotland’s international healthcare charity after he cycled 365 miles around Perthshire.
Roger Paterson (61) completed the EMMS International’s sponsored Malawi Bike Ride, which has traditionally taken place in the East African country, by cycling the distance equivalent to the length of Lake Malawi across 10 bike rides around the Auchterarder and Comrie areas during August.
EMMS International is an Edinburgh-based charity that positively impacts the lives of people in Scotland, Malawi, Nepal and India, offering respite to people with life-limiting conditions in Scotland and developing health services and healthcare infrastructure for people in extreme poverty.
The charity is renowned for its annual international Bike Ride, which participants are invited to complete by getting on their bikes at home anytime during September. Participants take part by doing as many miles as they want anywhere in the world, making the challenge more accessible and environmentally friendly.
Money raised by the challenge will be used for a variety of purposes, including helping to fund projects like improving water systems in places like Malawi to help hospitals treat patients affected by diseases like cholera.
“I retired last year and I decided I want to do a bit of a challenge this year, partly to get myself fitter,” Roger explained.
“I got a flyer email from [EMMS International] suggesting this Malawi Bike Ride and that just struck a note with me because I’m not one of these professional cyclists that goes out huge distances every day, but I like to go once a week if I can. So I thought, well, that’s a good challenge!”
Roger, who cycled two or three times per week and racked up between 20 to 50 miles per ride, had a connection to the charity due to having worked in one of their former international hospitals as a medical student during an elective in 1983.
The retired GP was also inspired to fundraise for the charity due to its work improving maternity services and tackling teenage pregnancy in Malawi through projects like the EMMS International’s Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Programme at Mulanje Mission Hospital.
“When I took [the challenge] on, it was more to support girls and young women getting improved care, particularly maternity care, and helping to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate, which became very high through the pandemic,” Roger said. And a lot of it was about education and community for a lot of these women and girls. But also the maternity services over there have been very limited and they’re doing everything they can to try and improve maternity care.”
Roger felt the physical benefits of completing the tough challenge as well as a sense of achievement in raising money for a good cause.
He said: “I was delighted that some very generous people helped support me doing that and I feel fitter for it and a bit stronger for it, so it’s great.
“My challenge now is to keep up the level of fitness that I achieved over the month.”
Euan McIntyre, fundraising manager for EMMS International, said: “I’m inspired to see people like Roger get on their bikes and raise money to help improve health and healthcare in places like Malawi. Despite the fact the Malawi Bike Ride was to take place in September, we have many others taking part in other months, so we’d urge as many people to register for free and help make a difference to the lives of people living in extreme poverty.”
To get involved with EMMS International’s Malawi Bike Ride 2022, visit www.emms.org/malawi-bike-ride-2022
