Scottish Catholic Observer

A GROUP of intrepid ­walkers from St Leo’s Parish in Dumbreck, Glasgow, are off to scale Mount Olympus to support those affected by meningitis.

Ewan MacLeod, Eamon Murtagh, Jack Allen, Robert Carachi and Jim Kerr headed for Greece to make the climb, ­determined to raise at least £2,000 to help the Meningitis Association Scotland.

The walk is particularly ­relevant to group member Ewan MacLeod, who himself contracted meningitis in the past.

“It’s to raise awareness of meningitis and what meningitis can do—particularly in young children,” Mr MacLeod said. “I’m one of the lucky ones. I had bacterial meningitis 17 years ago and I survived it.”

The group came together three years ago in order to do long and challenging walks to raise money for charity. The first was scheduled to be the West Highland Way in June 2014, but one group member took ill with multiple myeloma and the walk was postponed. The friend passed away from the illness less than seven months after the diagnosis.

The group decided to do the walk and donated to a charity that supports research into ­multiple myeloma, in memory of their friend.

The success of the event led to the group completing walks to support spina bifida sufferers, and this year deciding to tackle the daunting task of climbing Mount Olympus for meningitis.

Mr MacLeod described meningitis as a ‘horrible’ illness. He hopes the group’s fundraising will help to raise awareness of it, as well as providing better treatment and prevention.

“It’s a very, very difficult ­illness to diagnose,” he said. “Meningitis is a vicious disease; it’s a thoroughly unpleasant, horrible thing.”

The group, who have been training since October last year, have had ‘incredible’ support from their parish community at St Leo’s, after group member Jim Kerr organised a race night at which parishioners raised £1,300 for the cause. The funds will go towards the purchase of a neurological endoscope, the first of its kind in Scotland, for ­Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. It will allow brain scans on children with meningitis and other ­serious neurological conditions.

However, the group also hope to raise awareness of meningitis vaccinations in Scotland. A number of children missed out on a free vaccination due to a cut-off date introduced for babies born after March 2015, despite the disease being a ­concern up until the age of five.

“At that age, kids can’t say what’s wrong with them,” Mr MacLeod said. “When kids are unwell they can’t say what’s wrong with them and parents are up to high doh.”

For children outwith the time frame, parents must pay up to £300 to have the vaccination done privately.

“We want to raise awareness of that, that the Scottish ­Government should make ­funding available so all children are covered. I just want children to be protected from it, and investigation into the prevention of it.”

“I have been given a second bite at the cherry,” added Mr MacLeod. “And I’m doing what I can if possible.”