A trio of women have completed a triathlon as a fundraising tribute to a young cancer victim from the Western Isles
The One Million Miles for Ellie campaign aims to raise £1million for Cancer Research UK in memory of Ellie MacDonald, of Kyles, Paible, North Uist.
She died on September 18 last year at the age of 23, just weeks after graduating from St Andrews University.
On Monday, Karen Archer, her sister Gemma Powell and their friend Lisa McInnes completed the 210 miles from their home village of Carrbridge to North Uist – running, walking, cycling and kayaking.
Angus and Michelle MacDonald, Ellie’s parents, were friends of Miss Powell and Mrs Archer’s father, Jimmy, who died from pancreatic cancer in December 2009.
The sisters set up the Strathspey Cancer Research UK group following their father’s death and the triathlon also marks the fifth anniversary of fundraising for cancer charities.
In addition to the 530 miles completed by the trio along with family and friends, staff and pupils at Carrbridge Primary School will collectively contribute more than 300 miles to the total, by walking and running every day this week.
In total, about £2,000 has been raised by the trio in support of the One Million Miles for Ellie campaign, and the money will be evenly split between Cancer Research UK, Maggie’s and Macmillan cancer support.
Mrs MacDonald said: “It is fairly humbling. I feel like people have been inspired by Ellie’s story and they are doing wonderful things. What these women have done is amazing and the beauty of this challenge is that we are supporting three cancer charities.
“We are asking anybody to do something special for the campaign that takes you out of your comfort zone because everyone knows someone who has had cancer.”
Mrs Archer, who spoke as she finished the last few miles of the challenge with her sister, said: “We are feeling really good and have been well rested as a couple north of Uig gave us some free digs for the night. But it has been quite emotional as well because you think about what the MacDonald family have been through and we lost our dad, and they were great friends.”
Donations for the trio’s challenge can be made by visiting
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/strathspeyCRUK