Thurso schoolboy Aidan Macgruer powers on in 500-mile challenge to help people living with incurable neurological condition
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Aidan Macgruer, from Thurso, has taken on an amazing challenge – a virtual NC500 cycle to raise over £500 in support of families impacted by Huntington’s disease.
The eight-year-old has powered his way well towards the 100-mile mark already. Not even coronavirus can stop this cycling superstar – after testing positive for the virus a couple of weeks in, Aidan battled on without missing a mile after setting up his bike indoors.
His fundraising is going great guns too – just a few weeks since starting and Aidan’s already smashed his initial £500 target.
"Last year I did a 50-mile cycle with my mum running alongside to raise money for Maggie’s cancer centre," said Aidan. "This time around I wanted to go even bigger so I set myself a target of 500 miles.
"I decided to help families with Huntington’s disease because it’s a rare condition that not many people know about. All the money I raise is being donated to Scottish Huntington’s Association."
Scottish Huntington’s Association is the only charity in Scotland dedicated exclusively to supporting families with Huntington’s disease. In Scotland there are around 1100 people with a diagnosis while a further 4000 to 6000 others are at risk of having inherited the faulty gene that causes the incurable condition.
People with Huntington’s disease develop complex and severe symptoms. Over time, the brain stops working properly, leading to a loss of control over movement, causing uncoordinated jerky movements and a loss of ability to walk, talk, eat and swallow.
Cognition – thinking processes – are affected, causing early onset dementia and impaired decision making, reducing ability to organise and plan. Mental illness may also develop, including depression, anxiety, mood swings, behaviour changes and, in some cases, psychosis.
Scottish Huntington’s Association chief executive Alistair Haw said: "Well done Aidan. We are so impressed by the challenge he has set himself and it’s great to see him clocking up the miles so quickly.
"He is raising much needed awareness about Huntington’s disease which will help reduce the lack of understanding and stigma experienced by many of the families we work with."
"Aidan’s kindness is going a long way to help make sure that Scottish Huntington’s Association is able to reach everyone who needs the support specialist services, including HD specialists, financial wellbeing officers and specialist youth advisors."
Aidan has mapped out the North Coast 500 route – a 516-mile scenic journey around the north coast, starting and ending at Inverness Castle.
It takes in Caithness, Sutherland, Wester Ross and the Black Isle, and Aidan is plotting his virtual progress around the route to keep his sponsors updated on Facebook.
His mum Debbie Larnach is so inspired that she’s joining Aidan on his outdoor cycles. "Aidan gets his love of cycling from me and he’s been on a bike since he was tiny," she explained.
"He got a real buzz out of fundraising for the Maggie’s Centre so I wasn’t surprised when he asked me what he could do this year. He’s doing really well and has lots of family and friends cheering him on all the way."
One of the ways of donating is by visiting JustGiving – Aidans Virtual NC500.
To find out more about Huntington’s disease, the work of Scottish Huntington’s Association and how to get involved, visit hdscotland.org
Related article: Young Aidan is an inspiration as he pedals his way to raising over £1000
