Yell fundraiser to walk to Edinburgh in memory of his son

A LOCAL man is going to walk from his home in Yell to Edinburgh children’s hospital to raise money in his late son’s honour.

Richard Hay will begin the 200-mile journey on 5 July to fundraise for brain tumour research charity Abbie’s Army and the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.

He will follow the route that his son Aksel took in 2021 before he passed away.

Aksel lost his life to a brain stem tumour when he was just seven years old.

He was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) and later died at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.

DIPG is an incurable cancerous brain stem tumour and almost exclusively effects children.

Richard said: “Both charities do hugely important and inspiring work.

“We’ll forever be in the debt of these amazing organisations that helped us and Aksel’s siblings during an impossible time.

“Please consider making a donation if you can – and any encouragement or assistance will be warmly welcomed if you pass me walking on the long road to Edinburgh in memory of Aksel.”

He will leave his house in Yell on 5 July, get the ferry and go onwards to Sumburgh to fly to Aberdeen on 7 July.

Richard plans to reach the hospital in Edinburgh on 14 July, the day Aksel would have turned nine years old.

With one week to go before the walk begins, they have already raised over £6,000 on JustGiving.

Richard’s journey can be followed on his Instagram.