Granddaughter of Katie Morag creator Mairi Hedderwick goes the distance to raise over £5K for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
The granddaughter of a renowned children’s author has completed a marathon challenge in aid of the charity which helped her after she suffered a stroke.
Kirsty Hedderwick (20), from Beauly, is the granddaughter of renowned Katie Morag author Mairi Hedderwick, who had a stroke in 2018 which affected her speech and writing.
Supported in the aftermath by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, Kirsty said she wanted to do her bit to support the charity.
On Saturday she ran an ultra-marathon, doing circuits around her home almost continuously for 24 hours, with just short breaks to eat during which her sisters, Elizabeth and Erika, took over.
“Our granny has always taught us the importance of being thankful and that’s what inspired me to do an ultra-marathon for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland,” she said.
“I also wanted to honour everyone who has been stuck at home or those who, like my granny, have been getting through lockdown on their own.”
She has raised £5300 so far, with donations still coming in.
Mairi Hedderwick said the charity had helped her understand the stroke was not the end of her life.
“On top of not being able to write, I also couldn’t draw anymore,” she said.
“It was a difficult and very unhappy time.”
However she said the support she received from a charity volunteer, also called Mairi, had proved invaluable.
“Mairi was the first person I remember meeting who made me smile and see past my stroke,” she said. “She helped me accept what had happened and supported me to be positive and not ashamed of my stroke.”
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