A Fort William husband and wife will be taking on the Loch Ness Marathon this September to fulfil a long held dream of and raise money for a special cause.
Once a super fit runner and deep sea diver whose skills were in demand across the world, Davy Duncan contracted Covid while working in Mexico in 2021 and almost lost his life after a series of strokes left him with long-term health issues.
Ever cheerful despite the serious challenges he has faced learning to speak again and regain some mobility, he managed to complete his first major aim after returning to his Caol home with wife Helen.
From a medical flight back to Inverness, a long spell in Raigmore and further time in the Belford Hospital, he lived up to a promise he made when, with assistance, he took Helen on to the floor for the first dance at their wedding.
Now after many further adventures, including their honeymoon in Turkey, which again resulted in him being admitted to hospital after a seizure, he and Helen are now setting their sights on the marathon which he always wanted to take part in.
As a former ultra-marathon runner herself and the founder of Parkrun in Lochaber, Helen started to research how taking part could become a reality.
The couple, who used to run the Columba’s Bay Diner near Barcaldine, were spurred on by the fact that the Oxygen Works in Inverness, where Davy goes twice a week to use their hyperbaric chamber, was in dire need of money, followed by an internet search which revealed a lightweight wheelchair specially designed for this type of challenge.
The couple, along with their two dogs, made a long trip to visit the manufacturers in the South of England to try it out and they are now awaiting delivery to start putting in the practice. But the big-hearted couple have already started fundraising for their chosen good cause.
Helen said: “Oxygen Works has helped significantly with Davy’s recovery.
“He gets so much from going there and we would really be lost without them. It is so important to us and others, but being quite a small operation it does not attract funding like a big organisation.
“I love running but haven’t been able to do it for the last few years, so it is going to be amazing doing this together.
“When I did the ultras, Davy was always my support during races. He is also really looking forward to it.”
Donate to their fundraising page on JustGiving by clicking here.
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