A six-year-old boy from Broughty Ferry is being recognised after raising more than £5,000 in memory of his mum Vivienne McDonald – following her death from a lung disease.
Jacob McDonald, alongside dad Kenny, 56, has crossed six of Scotland’s most iconic bridges over the past year to raise awareness of pulmonary fibrosis – which his mum died from aged 32 in 2017.
The pair completed their challenge – which included the Tay Road Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge – when they crossed Erskine Bridge over the River Clyde on July 17 alongside dozens of supporters.
Jacob is now being recognised by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust, which helps support patients and their families across the UK, with a certificate.
Kenny, who is an ambassador for the UK charity – where Jacob is also a mascot – said: “I was overwhelmed, I wasn’t expecting it at all.
“I told Peter Bryce [chairman of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust] there was no need, but he and the trustees insisted they wanted to recognise what Jacob has done for the trust.
“The amount of thanks we got for raising awareness for pulmonary fibrosis carers and warriors, it was amazing.”
The certificate will be awarded to Jacob as a surprise in the coming weeks by the respiratory team at Ninewells Hospital, who cared for Vivienne before her death.
Kenny, a stay-at-home-dad and retired bus driver, says he was “amazed” when they surpassed their fundraising target of £5,000 on the day they crossed Erskine Bridge.
Jacob’s feat is all the more impressive in light of his own battle with lung issues, which have seen him hospitalised twice.
Kenny said: “Jacob was born premature and he had to go straight into intensive care after he was born.
“Ever since, he has had to take a lot of time off nursery and school, through croup, bronchiolitis, laryngitis, asthma attacks.
“His immune system is not great – even a cold can knock him on his side.”
Jacob just 18 months old when mum died
Jacob was only 18 months old when his mum died.
Vivienne, who was diagnosed at 28, unexpectedly fell pregnant with him after being told by doctors that she only had a short time left to live.
Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive lung disease that has no cure.
Life expectancy is just three years from diagnosis, and more than 6,000 people die from it each year in the UK.
The father and son duo are not yet finished raising awareness of the condition.
They will be joining the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust and hundreds of others impacted by the disease to walk the Humber Bridge in Hull and the Severn Bridge between England and Wales next year.
Conversation