A mother who lost her teenage son to suicide is to take on Mount Etna as the climax of a summer of charity fundraising.
Gwen Buchan is preparing to summit Mount Etna in aid of Lighthouse for Perth, a charity which aims to provide a safe space for those at risk of self-harm.
The self-confessed couch potato has already started warming up for the challenge by undertaking a charity walk from Dundee train station to its counterpart in Perth.
She and several friends, who all work in the rail industry, followed the Route 77 cycle path, which roughly follows the train line.
Gwen said: “In November 2015 my 17-year-old son David took his own life.
“I just felt like I wanted to do something to raise awareness and raise money to get The Lighhouse up and running.
“In August I climb Mount Etna and in the run up to that I’ve done the walk and there’s going to be lots of different events over the summer. I want to raise at least £4,000. With the walk we have raised in excess of £500 and it took us about nine and a half hours.
“It’s all part of “Challenge Etna”. I’ve called it that because metaphorically it’s a huge hill to climb for me – until recently I never went anywhere without my car.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be but exercise and me is not good. Since October I’ve lost two and a half stone and have been training to get a bit fitter, so I was quite pleased that I did it – especially as I wasn’t very well at the time.
“Determination was what got me through.”
Lighthouse for Perth was set up by Perth Woman Tracy Swan following the death of her daughter Jodie McNab while at Murray Royal Hospital.
The Procurator Fiscal is currently investigating three instances where those undergoing treatment at the psychiatric hospital died in its care.
It is understood that all the deaths were suicides and all occurred in the secure Moredun ward.
Jodie spent five days in a coma prior to her death May 22 2013. The 22-year-old had been admitted to Murray Royal just nine days before she died.
