Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Bruce's partner Becky has set up this page on my behalf, while I do the running!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails.

Those of you at the Hash House Harriers also know Bruce as Canadian Club and myself (Murdo McEwan) as 80/-. It was Bruce who introduced me to the joys of ultra distance running, back in year 2000, after he’d completed his first 95 miles West Highland Way (WHW) race. I had completed my Munros in 1999 and was kind of looking for a new “challenge”. Then I went on to do my first WHW race in 2001, and continued on from there.

Bruce suffered a stroke (details below) in 2023. While he is re-learning to run, I intend, on his behalf, to complete The Cape Wrath Ultra meandering up the west coast of Scotland from Fort William to Cape Wrath @ the top north west corner. My target is to complete the Explorer option of the event. This will involve running (walking at times maybe) approx. 22 miles a day for 8 days, much of it on rough terrain underfoot, with numerous river crossings. The event organisers almost guarantee I’ll have soaking wet feet for most of the 8 days. I don’t want to underestimate it! But equally don’t want to overestimate it! I will be carrying a tracker on the journey, so my progress can be followed throughout. There should be a link facility on the tracker to send me messages of encouragement / abuse, via a wee envelope icon. Note that the messages are “public”, so keep them not too abusive, please 😉. Race tracker link here https://live.opentracking.co.uk/capewrathultra25/ I’m race number 106.

Why? To help raise funds for a vital Welfare Fund to buy items for those rehabilitating at The ECRSS (Edinburgh Community Rehabilitation and Support Service). The service is free for users. These items and the dedication of the staff help people to regain the use of their upper and lower limbs and can also help them back into work. The ECRSS is a multi-disciplinary service dedicated to support clients who have physical disability with long term conditions such as Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and Huntington’s Disease.

How do the rehab items help? After stroke the brain must learn new pathways to regain various limb functions – the technical medical term is neuroplasticity. Not all clients can afford to purchase these items, and there are waiting lists to borrow the ones available at ECRSS. Basically they need more items to help more people and quicker. The items will remain with the service to loan out to patients. In the world of rehabilitation and neuroplasticity, time is of the essence – the sooner the better. It takes time, a lot of time, and overcoming frustration. But it works! The team do not talk “plateaux”, they are a positive team and encourage continued improvement. The items: Varying from jar holders to various types of electrode stimulation devices to encourage movement in the muscles again, one handed hair ties, tens machines, assistive arm rests and hand guides, ergonomic arm rests and supports etc.

Every penny donated goes directly to the welfare fund for the items. Funds raised are not used for wages and do not disappear into a big pot of money.

Bruce’s story and how these items helped him: On 22/09/2023, Bruce, a seasoned hasher and ultra-distance runner, had a stroke whilst out for a morning run. He didn't recognise the symptoms and worked the remainder of the day. A brain scan at Royal Infirmary Edinburgh A&E confirmed he had suffered a left MCA infarct (a blood clot on his brain). By 1pm the next day, he could only say yes or no and got them confused. Bruce was paralysed down his right side, but he could understand everything being said to him. Bruce commenced physio, speech and language and OT therapies. His family said to him that this is his biggest ultra yet with many checkpoints and he can get through this. He knew he could.

His family received a phone call from the duty consultant late at night on Thursday 12th October advising that Bruce had suffered a haemorrhagic transformation with midline shift (a type of brain bleed which can significantly worsen prognosis) and the next 24 to 48 hours were critical. However, the next morning, the family were advised by his consultant that Bruce had deteriorated and that his bleed was a big one, that they could not provide any treatment other than ensuring his last days were comfortable and that he had 1 or 2 days at most to live. His family didn't leave Bruce's side – they held him, chatted to him, laughed, cried and reminded Bruce that he had many more adventures still to enjoy and that it was time to get up! He was non-responsive but they knew he could hear them, cheering him on. They knew he was going to pull through, but the consultant's words were a worm in their lugs. Bruce started showing signs of being cheeky with his eyebrows on the Sunday, so they knew he could hear them.

Anyway, Bruce was having none of that dying nonsense and sat up wanting tea and toast that Monday morning when these were offered to the family by a nurse. His consultant started him on sips of water in the first instance to ensure he could swallow. He then ate half his lunch and half his dinner. He recommenced all his therapies.

Bruce was transferred to Astley Ainsley Hospital for rehabilitation on 1st November. At this point, he was in a wheelchair and still only able to say a few words. Bruce was discharged and home in time for Christmas and now the real work started!

In the New Year 2024, Bruce was invited to attend ECRSS (Edinburgh Community Rehabilitation and Support Service). He worked hard with their amazing physios and OTs. This service is more than just a place to attend your physio and OT classes, it is a safe space, a happy space with encouragement and positivity at its core. It also envelopes the important aspect of peer patient support, chat and friendships. And no plateaux talk!

When he first attended, Bruce was no longer in a wheelchair but required a stick to walk and was walking short distances. Bruce’s goal to return to running again is coming to fruition, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the team at ECRSS and Bruce himself. He has moved upward from being in a wheelchair at hospital discharge, using a Sara Steady to transfer from bed to wheelchair, to using a tripod, then a walking stick and now walking up to 12 miles without a stick on level terrain, or with a walking pole on the hills. ECRSS recognised the importance that running had in Bruce’s life and he started to learn to run again with their support, physio exercises and guidance. Bruce is now running for a couple of hundred yards which has had a huge, positive impact on his mental wellbeing.

His OT at ECRSS has also played a huge role in supporting Bruce with his goal to return to work: Bruce had no movement at all in his right arm, hand or fingers. Today he can raise his arm above his head, move his hand and all his fingers – dexterity is a work in progress. His OT also helps Bruce with his employers vocational OT homework. His employers have been incredibly supportive.

Bruce’s speech and language therapist has also made a huge difference to Bruce’s recovery: Bruce was at first given pictures to point at to tell people what he needed/how he was feeling until his speech improved and my goodness did it improve! Bruce can now say full sentences albeit forgetting a word every now and again.

Bruce's hard work, belief and determination alongside that of all the therapists involved in his rehabilitation has made such a difference and he and his family will be forever grateful. They have a massive respect for all the therapists involved in his rehabilitation. The ECRSS is an amazing place, and they all work so hard with such positivity every day and have such a huge positive impact on the lives of their clients. We want to help more people access the items needed to help in their recovery.

All donations to the cause are hugely appreciated and will be passed directly to ECRSS once the page closes.

Onward and upward!

Murdo, Bruce and Becky.