Bearsden man with multiple sclerosis runs 158km for charity

Scott Burgess ran 5km a day throughout August to mark each day he spent in hospital before receiving his MS diagnosis in 2018.

Three years on, Scott now volunteers with MS Society Scotland’s National Council and has raised over £1,500 to help support other people living with the condition.

Scott said: “The idea to do this challenge really came about because I was actually training to do the Great Scottish Run and Great North Run just before my diagnosis.

"And I’d also added a weekly Parkrun to boost my training before I

went to hospital.

“MS hasn’t impacted my physical abilities; I only get pins and needles in my left leg and back so far. And while that’s still the case, I really wanted to do a challenge like this.

“I decided I would run the Parkrun distance of 5km, for 31 days because that was how long I spent in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after my first MS relapse and run over 100km to do the challenge as part of MS Society’s 100k Your Way virtual fundraising event.”

MS is a neurological condition which damages nerves in your body and makes it harder to do everyday things, like walk, talk, eat and think. It's different for everyone and can be relentless, painful, and disabling.

Scott continued: “Following my diagnosis, I stopped running for just under a year. So much of what I’m interested in and enjoy to do is around physical activity, whether that’s running, martial arts or hillwalking.

“The first six months or so after my diagnosis were really difficult because I was just trying to wrap my head around what MS is and what it means for me. Once I was able to return to running again after starting an effective treatment it really helped and acted as a big stress reliever.

"And in the evenings I would put myself through some unpleasantness with a foam roller to look after my legs.

“It feels amazing and really humbling to have raised over £1,500.”

More than 15,000 people in Scotland have MS, one of the highest rates in the world.

Visit https://100kyourway.mssociety.org.uk/fundraising/scotts-5k-a-day-in-august

Morna Simpkins, Director of MS Society Scotland, said: “A huge thank you to Scott for taking on this fantastic challenge and for raising funds and awareness for MS.

“We’ve never been closer to stopping MS in its tracks and our supporters play a key role in funding research into more and better treatments for everyone affected by the condition.”

If you’d like to support Scott’s and his fundraising challenge you can by visiting: https://100kyourway.mssociety.org.uk/fundraising/scotts-5k-a-day-in-august

The MS Society hosts a number of fundraising events and supports people to take on their own challenges. Find out more on their website:

http://mssociety.org.uk/fundraise