Charity cyclists honouring a former St Joseph’s College pupil with an epic Cycle4David quest to generate awareness of Young Sudden Cardiac Death raised £25,350.
The newly-announced final total for the challenge, pushes the cash raised so far for The David Hill Memorial Fund to more than £65,000 which has allowed his family to organise 600 free cardiac screenings in Dumfries on May 18 and 19 this year; as well as April 12-13 and September 13-14 next year – with more to follow.
Additionally, funds from the Cycle4David will be used to offer defibrillators to each secondary school in Dumfries and Galloway.
The 30-year-old collapsed on March 19, 2022 while taking part in a cross party rugby match for Holyrood against Dail and Seanad XV at the Donnybrook Stadium in Dublin, and subsequently died from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.
David, who played for Dumfries Saints Rugby Club before a career in politics, worked for several MSPs at Holyrood. He was also one of the founding members of the parliamentary rugby team.
His family set up the fund after his death to support CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).
The charity is calling for the introduction of a national screening programme which could help save the lives of young people aged between 14 and 35 with undiagnosed heart conditions. Each cardiac screening costs £65.
Cycle4David marked the second anniversary of his death and was led by his dad, Rodger, and stepmum, Lesley, supported by family and friends.
They cycled from Edinburgh to Dublin last month carrying the match ball for the David Hill Memorial Quaich game which was played on the second anniversary of the unexpected death in the same fixture in 2022.
As part of their 322 mile journey – which began in Edinburgh at Murrayfield – they stopped off at Moffat Academy, Lockerbie Academy, Dumfries High School, St Joseph’s College, Dumfries Academy and the North West Community Campus in Dumfries.
They also visited Dalbeattie Community Campus, Castle Douglas High School, Kirkcudbright Academy, Douglas Ewart High School, New Luce and Stranraer Academy before catching a ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast and onto Dublin.
And they were given funding along the way at the schools, as well as public online donations at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Cycle4David2024.
On the journey they were joined by local MSPs Oliver Mundell, Colin Smyth and Finlay Carson at various schools. The team were accompanied with up to 60 young people and their teachers who cycled with them on the different legs through Dumfries and Galloway, at times in the most atrocious of weather.
Rodger said: “The kindness and support we received at every step of the way has been humbling, the reception at the schools was truly amazing. This has been made possible by the love and support we have been shown by so many people. This was a mammoth challenge; I hope David would have been proud of Lesley and I”.
Dr Steven Cox, chief executive of CRY said: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks – and admiration – for Rodger, Lesley and everyone else involved with Cycle4David.
“The funds raised through this challenge is just awesome and will make a huge difference to the numbers of young people we’ll be able to screen in Scotland, over the next 18 months, and beyond.
“More than 80 MSPs have now signed up to CRY’s pledge for the prevention of young sudden cardiac death and, as Cycle4David was midway through its journey, we were all so encouraged to hear a short speech during First Minister’s Questions wishing the team well and again raising the issue of Holyrood’s support for our campaign for cardiac screening.”
