Grandad's life was spur for wall trek
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A SUTHERLAND native, who helped raised an overall total of £180,000 for Motor Neurone Disease Scotland after taking part in a group trek of the Great Wall of China, has said it was much harder than she anticipated.
Trini Graham-Stewart now lives in Alness but grew up in Bonar Bridge, attending the village’s primary school before going to secondary school in Perth. She still has relatives in the village.
She was motivated to raise money for MND because of the death of a close family member from the disease.
“My grandfather succumbed to MND a few years ago,” she said. “He was a surgeon who devoted his life to improving other people’s lives as MND Scotland is trying to do.
“It would be lovely to think the funds raised will continue to help people in a similar way as my grandfather did for so many years.”
Trini, a sales negotiator with estate agencts Galbraith Inverness, had to raise funds for a year before setting off for China, to cover the cost of her flights, which she managed by knitting scarves and baking cakes to sell to friends and family.
She was one of 39 Scots who tackled the walk in September, raising £180,000 between them. She personally raised £4000 which was matched by her employer, boosting it to £8000.
But she found the trek much more gruelling than she had expected. The expedition started in Mutianyu near Beijing and cover around 60 kms of the famous fortification.
MND Scotland secured exclusive permission from the Chinese Government for the group to help in the reconstruction of part of the wall.
“It was so steep and we were constantly up and down,” said Trini.
“It was never intended to be walked along as we do today - we were on our hands and knees in some places.
“The hardest part was the Heavenly Ladder which is 1260 steps to the top, but luckily we did that on the final day.”
Trini has in the past run a half marathon in aid of the same cause and plans to continue to help when she can.
She said: ““I’m glad to be able to contribute, to help those affected by this terrible disease. As well as supporting patients and their families, the ultimate aim of MND Scotland is to find a cure.”
MND is a terminal illness that progresses rapidly, stopping signals from the brain reaching the muscles.
