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Celebrating 4 Years of My Name'5 Doddie Foundation

Friends, supporters and partners of My Name'5 Doddie Foundation gathered at the Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh to celebrate the charity's 4th anniversary.

Doddie was joined by his family at the gala dinner, hosted by rugby legend Andy Nicol. The evening celebrated the many achievements of the Foundation since it was launched in November 2017 and honoured a number of key supporters who have played a role in that success. The evening was also a chance to look to the future and share the charity's ambition and vision. Five groups who had all gone the "extra mile" to raise vital funds were recognised as well as five Doddie Champions, details below. Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend popped in to give his thoughts on the Autumn Series and he was one of a host of well known rugby faces in the room. The evening was a huge success with significant funds raised for targeted research into MND and to help people living with the disease. It was rounded off with a performance from The Red Hot Chilli Pipers! The dinner also gave our new Doddie Champion, Rob Wainwright, a chance to launch Doddie AID 2022."

RECIPIENTS:

Munros 4 MND

This family created their own special campaign after their father, David, was diagnosed with MND and was unable to fulfil his ambition to bag every Munro (there’s 282!) David and his wife Judy were 15 short of their target when the kids stepped in and decided, along with Judy, to complete the list! And Munros 4 MND was born. Matt, Becky, Paul and Adam have raised over £40,000 and bagged their last Munro in September. 

To read the full article on the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation website click here.

Can you share the story of how ‘Munros 4 MND’ came about?

After Dad was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease the whole family felt pretty helpless. My three siblings and I were desperate to try to do something positive in the face of this devastating disease and to do something together as a family. Mum and Dad have always had a passion for hillwalking but Dad’s diagnosis meant it was only a matter of time before he’d be forced to give this up. Having spent the last 25 years “bagging” the Munros, and ticking off an incredible 267 of 282, it became apparent that Dad wasn’t going to be able to reach the finish line. Knowing how much this meant to both Mum and Dad, we came up with the idea of completing Dad’s Munros as his proxy, and in doing so, enabling Mum to reach her target too. So we set ourselves the challenge of completing the final 15 and trying to raise as much money as possible along the way.

You chose to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which we are of course big supporters of, having designed the Doddie’5 tartan. Why did you choose this charity?

It was an easy decision to be honest. I have been attending Scotland games for years and was at Murrayfield in November 2017 when Doddie launched the Foundation at the All Blacks game. Unbeknown to me at the time, it was around then that Dad was being diagnosed. I had been following Doddie’s journey since he announced his diagnosis earlier that year, and the atmosphere that night was electric. The reception for Doddie and his family was something that will stay with me forever. He has faced MND head on and has shared his story with the world, giving rise to a much greater awareness of the condition. The money Doddie and the Foundation have raised to fund research has given real hope to so many families that one day a cure will be found.

You have raised a whopping £25,000 for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, and you are only half way through your challenge!

When we came up with the idea at Christmas 2019 we tentatively set a target of £2,000. Needless to say our current total has well and truly smashed this and the support we have received has absolutely blown us away!

Had you, or any of your siblings, climbed a Munro before you embraced this challenge?

As kids, Mum and Dad tried to pass on their love of hillwalking to us, and I think each of us was dragged up at least one Munro. However, prior to our challenge, I think if we combined all four of our Munro totals, we’d still be in single figures!

Have you embarked on any other Scottish outdoor activities over the years?

We have always been a very outdoorsy family. Dad in particular has always been up for giving anything a try, and when we were younger, we’d often be trying out something new. We’ve enjoyed so many adventures around Scotland over the years, from rafting and canyoning to mountain biking and rock climbing, to name but a few!

Did you do a lot of training to prepare for the challenge?

Some more than others! Whilst all four of us are reasonably fit and healthy, the level of fitness varies a bit. But we’ve all tried to make sure we’re in good shape to get up the Munros. Though lockdown has made it a little more difficult to get any hill training as we all live in fairly flat areas!

Can you tell us a little bit about the planning process? How did you decide which Munro to climb first and which Munro would be the big finale?

Geography has been the main deciding factor. The final 15 are all fairly spread out, but we’ve been trying to group them together. Given we are all spread throughout the UK we’re trying to tick off a few per trip as it’s a logistical headache getting us all in the same place at the same time. We haven’t made any specific plans for the final Munro; but I have no doubt that whichever it is, it will be emotional day.

Has Covid interrupted your plans?

Thankfully we have been incredibly lucky with coronavirus restrictions. We had always planned to complete the list over two years and had always been looking at a window of May to September. To have managed to tick off 7/15 last year means we are pretty much on track as things stand.

Has there been a Munro that was more enjoyable to climb than the others?

Personally, I particularly liked Blà Bheinn on the Isle of Skye. It had a bit of everything, and we were very fortunate with the weather at the top which made for some incredible views. We’d also climbed Sgùrr na Banachdich the day before, so the legs were a little tired which made the sense of achievement even greater.

Scotland is famous for 4 seasons in one day, has the weather made affected your challenge?

I think we’d all be in agreement that the last section of Tom a' Choinich was probably the toughest weatherwise. The wind speed had been gradually increasing as we ascended, and by the time we reached the top it was pretty strong. It was as we reached the summit that the rain then started too, and the first half of the decent was very unpleasant. Fortunately, we dropped out of the worst of the weather fairly quickly, but it made for a pretty soggy trudge back to the car!

Now that you are halfway through your challenge you must be quite the expert. What have you learned that you wish you knew at the start of the challenge?

I can certainly tell you what my siblings have learned after not heeding my advice: they may look ridiculous, but midge head nets are a worthwhile investment!

I can imagine this has been a very emotional challenge to undertake....

We’ve been fortunate that so far Dad has been able to join us on all of the trips and has been waiting for our return wherever we are staying. Being able to celebrate each Munro so far with Dad and the rest of the family has been emotional but very rewarding. Unfortunately, with his mobility deteriorating, it may not be possible for him to join us for all of the remaining Munros but I have no doubt he’ll be following along with the books and maps whilst we are out, and we’ll be checking in on Facetime to tell him all about it as soon as we arrive back.

Which Munro is next on your list and how do you plan to celebrate the final Munro?

Next up we’re hoping to tick off Sgùrr Mòr; a very remote Munro north of Fort William. We’re aiming for mid-May if all goes to plan. We haven’t made any definitive plans for a celebration when we finish, as a lot depends on Dad’s condition and on any coronavirus restrictions. However, whatever we decide to do, we hope to involve the whole family, and certainly a glass of whisky or two!

Now that you are an expert, will you go back and attempt to climb all 282? Or are the final 15 enough for you?

I think that of the four of us, I have developed the bug more than the others. It is definitely something I will look to keep doing, and who knows where I’ll get to! I’ll likely try, like my parents did, to persuade my daughter to join me when she’s old enough and hopefully we’ll be able to follow in my parent’s footsteps… literally!

To read the full interview on the Scotland Shop website click here.

MUNROS FOR MND

"My Dad (David Choat) worked for Shell his entire career, retiring in 2016. He was recently diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and my siblings and I are embarking on a mission to raise some much-needed funding for the “My Name’5 Doddie Foundation” to further research into MND. As part of this, we applied for, and very gratefully received a grant from the Shell Employee Action scheme. As avid hill walkers, over the last 25 years my parents have been “bagging” the Munros across Scotland and have made it to a very impressive 267 of 282. However, my Dad’s diagnosis means he won’t be able to complete the list, which is devastating for both him and my Mum. Therefore, us four kids have decided to complete his last 15 as his proxy and try to raise as much money as possible on the way. There’s plenty more information of what we’re up to on our website." Paul Choat 

"Good luck with your fundraising, Paul; send us some photos when you’ve finished – I’m sure readers would be pleased to see the four of you complete the challenge on behalf of your Dad." Ed 

100% Profits Donated to Munros 4 MND

Munros are an important part of who we are at Stùc. They are a place where we've had great adventures, witnessed some epic scenery and found space to getaway from every day life. The competitive spirit of completing a challenge is often what spurs you on to travel around the country rain or shine. Not all attempts end with a summit, but you tell yourself that there's always next time, but sadly that's not always true. 

We recently stumbled upon the story of the Choat family and it really hit a chord with the Stùc team. After 25 years of bagging Munros and with only 15 of the peaks remaining, David Choat was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). With the hopes of completing his 282 list tick list dashed, the rest of the Choat family have banded together to complete the remaining 15 mountains on his behalf, all whilst raising money for the MND charity 'My Name'5 Doddie Foundation'. They've named this project Munros 4 MND.

We wanted to do our bit to support the cause and motivate the family as they tackle the elusive 15. To this end, we've decided to donate 100% of profits from our online shop to Munros 4 MND and their fundraising efforts for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.

To support the family in their effort to raise funds for a charity focused on researching treatments and cures for what remains a poorly treated and incurable condition, there are two ways you can help;

The first is to visit our store and make a purchase before 23:59 on 4th October 2020. All profits from that purchase will go straight to the Munros4MND total. Even if there's nothing for you they make a great gift.

The second is to make a donation directly via their JustGiving page.

As of today, the family have successfully topped 7 of the remaining 15 hills. For full details of their ongoing effort, they can be tracked via their website, twitter or Instagram. Please give them a follow and join us as we cheer them on for the remaining 8 Murnos.

To read the full article on the Stùc Clothing website click here.

Vow to complete dad's Munro-bagging dream

FOUR siblings are joining forces to finish what their parents started and bag each of Scotland’s Munros after their dad was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

David Choat, often along with wife Judy, both 66, had scaled more than 250 of Scotland’s highest peaks before he was diagnosed with the condition in November 2017.

Now, his children Paul, Matt, Becky and Adam are getting ready to tick off the remaining 14 mountains, which total 14,417 metres.

Paul, who lives in Macmerry with wife Becca and nine month-old daughter Skye, said: “As soon as it became apparent that dad would not be able to finish them off, it was something we came up with, despite not knowing how much they still had to do.

“We started tossing round the idea at Christmas time and we really proposed the idea then.

“By that point, I had spoken to my siblings and they were on board.

“We sat down with mum and dad and proposed the idea.

“Both were really keen on the whole thing.

“It was an idea for us to get mum up the hills as well.

“Without dad, she has been missing out on it a bit and, from dad's point of view, to get to the end of the list would mean a fair amount, even if he cannot do it himself.”

From there came the idea of raising funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, formed by former Scotland rugby internationalist Doddie Weir, who himself has MND.

Paul, 34, described it as a “no brainer” to raise funds for the good cause, which aims to find a cure for the condition or improve treatment.

Fifteen Munros remained to be ticked off until the weekend before last, when Paul was joined by older brother Adam - who lives in Haddington with wife Samantha and sons Leon and Lochlan - in scaling the 1,117-metre An Stuc, near Killin.

Paul said: “It was not too bad. We were a bit sore the next day but not too bad.”

Matt, who lives in London, and Becky, of Livingston, were unable to climb the first Munro with them but have committed to tackling the remaining 14.

Seven more could be achieved by the end of next month, with A' Chralaig (1,112m), Mullach Fraoch-choire (1,102m), Carn nan Gobhar (Glen Cannich) (993m), Ciste Dhubh (979m), Sgurr na Banachdich (965m) and Bla Bheinn (929m) all pencilled in.

That would just leave Creise (1,100m), Sgor na h-Ulaidh (994m), Beinn Fhionnlaidh (959m), Beinn Sgulaird (937m), Stob Coire an Laoigh (1,116m), Meall a' Bhuiridh (1,108m) and Sgurr Mor (1,003m) to be ticked off in 2021.

Paul said his dad, who lives with his wife in Aberdeen, had wanted to complete the 282 Munros after finding out he was closing in on the total. He said: “My dad was unbelievably healthy and fit. They would be out walking and most of their holidays revolved around walking tours.

“Just generally, they were very active and very healthy so the diagnosis was a bit of a bolt out of the blue.

“It was devastating; my dad had retired the year before and my mum and dad had big plans for retirement, all of which have pretty much fallen through.”

Paul told the Courier his dad remained upbeat and “unbelievably positive” despite the MND diagnosis.

The condition affects the nerves that enable people to move, speak, breathe and swallow.

The family “cautiously” set a target of £2,000 but had smashed that before they even laced up their walking boots. Paul added: “the fact we hit £7,500 before we set off was just incredible.

“The support we have had has been unbelievable; lots of donations from strangers. We have had donations from Canada, Australia and France - it has been amazing.”

To read the full article on the East Lothian Courier website click here.

Munros 4 MND

Like the 67,143 around him at BT Murrayfield on 18 November 2017, Paul Choat was touched when Doddie Weir came out onto the pitch before kick-off at the Autumn Test between Scotland and the All Blacks. 

An ex-Scotland internationalist and British and Irish Lion, Doddie announced the creation of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation after telling the world of his diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND). 

Weeks later Paul’s father, David Choat, was diagnosed with the condition, which spurred him into taking action to raise awareness of the disease and raise funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. 

Paul, 34, along with his three siblings: Adam, 31, Rebecca, 37 and Matt, 40, have started Munros 4 MND. After Paul’s father conquered 267 of 282 Munros in Scotland, his children have vowed to climb the last 15 in his honour along with support from friends and family. 

Paul spoke to SCRUM about his inspirational father: “He's basically always been a very outdoors type person, very sporty. My mum is also pretty sporty, but it was my dad who really wanted to take us all golfing or up mountains, playing football or rugby and all those kinds of things.” 

Both parents initially didn’t tell their children of David’s diagnosis in 2017 but as symptoms of the conditions started to progress quickly the family was informed about a year later. “They were quite keen to keep things as normal as they could for us for as long as they could.

“Since then the symptoms have all progressed pretty quickly. He's still walking but struggles to feel his feet anymore. 

“He's got two walking sticks so it's pretty slow going. Things like tying shoelaces and doing up buttons and zips, he can't really do any of that himself anymore. He usually needs a bit of help getting ready in the morning but he's unbelievably positive about it all.” 

Fortunately, he has been able to form a close bond with new grand-daughter (Paul’s daughter) Skye and he continues to inspire hope. 

Paul added: “They say that 50% of people don't survive longer than two years after diagnosis. We're now at two years and a few months and he is still walking, can still thankfully speak.” 

After following Doddie’s journey, Paul and his wife Becca said that choosing to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was an “easy decision”. 

He added: “Jill Douglas, who's the CEO, has been amazing support has been really helpful in backing us up with anything and everything we've asked for help with,” said Paul. 

Since they started fundraising at the end of last year, Munros 4 MND have smashed their initial £2000 target. At the time of writing, they have surpassed the £4,000 and now aim to hit £10,000 before they climb their last Munro. 

Paul and Becca also spoke of the support they have received from the online MND community receiving donations from as far as the USA and getting recognition from some big advocates of MND awareness such as Charlotte Hawkins and Jeremy Vine. 

Upon hearing the interest Paul and his siblings had gathered, David was keen to get involved in any way possible and has now been promoted to ‘Chief Planner’. 

“We're not exactly mountaineers,” said Paul, grateful for his father’s more experienced input. “We’re kind of fair weather, Munro climbers.” 

It’s clear that climbing holds fond memories for the family and Paul recalls one of the times he first went out with his dad. 

“I remember talking with my mum and dad when they first started climbing Munros, and my dad being competitive started talking about how they were going to do them all. We all kind of thought ‘oh yeah, whatever’. My mum's not good with heights at all. She had said there's a few on Skye that she wasn't very keen on doing, due to the heights and things and one in particular called the Inaccessible Pinnacle (In Pin). She said; ‘If we ever get to that stage you'll have to do it with dad’ and I was like ‘yeah, of course, no bother.’ 

“Move forward more than a decade later and my dad called me up and said; ‘right so we're going to Skye so you can come and help me do the In Pin. I suddenly regretted suggesting I’d do that. Me and my older brother did it with him and it was the most terrifying thing I've ever done in my life. But we did it and we got it ticked off. That was only a couple of months before he was diagnosed, it was one of the last ones he actually did.” 

Paul and his family hope to climb all 15 remaining Munros within the next two years.

To read the full article on the SCRUM Magazine website click here.

Please follow this link to listen to the GH Media Driving Force Podcast - Episode 15.

Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Siblings to climb 15 Munros father has to miss due to MND

A group of siblings are preparing to hike 15 mountains which their father is unable to complete after being diagnosed with MND.

Former oil worker David Choat was a fit and healthy father-of-four who loved ‘Munro bagging’ with his wife Judy in their spare time – until he was given his devastating diagnosis in 2017.

After the couple, both 66, shared the news with the rest of their family, their children rallied round and decided to pay tribute to their father’s beloved pastime – while raising money for MND charity My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

The family, from Aberdeen, are now planning to tackle the 15 Munros – Scottish mountains more than 3000 feet – between June this year and the summer of 2021.

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a debilitating illness that affects the brain and nerves – shortening sufferers’ lifespans – and in most cases results in death, with no known cure.

The couple’s son Paul, 34, said his parents kept the diagnosis to themselves before revealing it to the family months later around November 2017.

Paul, who was at the Scotland v New Zealand rugby game in November 2017 when Doddie Weir launched his charity, said: “I was at that game but had no idea my dad had been diagnosed.

“It was pretty devastating.

“Him and my mum decided to keep it between themselves at first because the symptoms weren’t obvious and I think was to give them a chance to process everything and keep things as normal as possible for as long as possible.

“It’s been really tough as a family but we’re lucky that we’re really close to support each other and our mum and dad.

“He’s still walking and his speech hasn’t been affected yet, so he’s beating the odds so far and staying unbelievably positive about it all.”

Paul told how for years his mum and dad racked up 267 Munros and relished the outdoors.

He said: “Ever since we were kids our mum and dad have been very active.

“My dad worked for Shell and travelled abroad for his job then settled in Aberdeen around school age.

“From there they started ticking off Munros one by one and tried to convince us to join them.

“That’s how they spent their free time.

“It’s been ongoing for the past 25 years.”

Paul, who runs a property maintenance company, said he and his sister Becky, 37, and brothers Adam, 31, and Matt, 40, revealed the Munro and fundraising idea to their parents while at the family home at Christmas.

He said: “For the fundraiser we decided we didn’t want to step on dad’s toes because he was still determined to complete them.

“But he eventually realised it wouldn’t be possible.

“After that we decided to combine our efforts into something.

“He had 15 left so we want to complete those and raise money along the way.

“We floated the idea to mum and dad.

“Mum said she’d be really keen to join us and dad would help with the organising.

“As much as I enjoy the outdoors I wouldn’t say I’m in perfect trim to go climbing mountains.

“But it’s good that we’re all coming together as a family.

“As much as it’s about raising the money it’s also about coming together as a family and helping mum and dad.”

Starting in June, the family will travel to Cuillin range on the Isle of Skye to hike up Sgurr na Banachdich and Bla Bheinn.

Afterwards they will attempt An Stuc near Loch Tay, Perth and Kinross, and in August they plan on taking a week off to complete five Munros near Inverness.

Paul admitted that the logistics of the challenge are ‘tricky’ as Matt lives in London.

He said: “We’re all quite scattered throughout the UK.

“The organisation is quite tricky.

“We’re hoping to do half this year then the other half next year.

“Most of the ones left are in the middle of nowhere.”

Having raised £2737 since the beginning of January and exceeded their target already, Paul said the family aim to keep going until they complete their Munro mission.

He said: “We initially set out to raise £2000 but are already past that.

“None of us have seen a Munro since the fundraiser started but we just want to raise as much as we can.

“It’s been amazing the generosity shown by people so far.

“We didn’t think we’d get as much support as we have.

“We’ll just continue and see where we get to.”

To read the full article on the STV News website click here.

15 peaks for ill dad

THREE brothers and a sister will tackle 15 Munros as a tribute to their dad who suffers from motor neurone disease.

Adam, Paul, Matt and Becky Choat will hike the 3,000ft-plus peaks David had still to do.

David, 66, of Aberdeen, had racked up 267 of the 282 mountains before he was diagnosed in 2017.

Adam, 31, Paul, 34, Becky, 37, and Matt, 40, will take on the challenge between June this year and summer 2021.

Cash raised will go to rugby idol Doddie Weir’s MND charity My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Paul said: “We’re coming together as a family”

Siblings to climb the 15 Munros father has to miss due to MND

Not so long ago, David Choat was a fit and healthy father-of-four who loved nothing more than to go Munro-bagging with his wife Judy.

So passionate was he about Scotland’s grandest peaks that he climbed all but 15 of them.

But in 2017 the life of the former oil worker from Aberdeen was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), a debilitating brain and nerve condition that causes weakness over time and is usually fatal. There is no known cure.

The family was initially devastated by the news.

But now Mr Choat’s children have rallied round and will pay tribute to his beloved pastime by tackling the 15 Munros he has not been able to climb.

Munros are mountains in Scotland with a height of more than 3,000 feet. There are 282, according to the revised list that was published by the Scottish Mountaineering Club in 2012. This does not include 227 Munro Tops – peaks with an altitude of over 3,000 feet but which are considered a subsiduary top of the nearby primary mountain.

The siblings plan to begin their challenge in June and complete it by summer next year, while raising money for Doddie Weir’s MND charity My Name’5 Doddie.

Mr Choat’s son, Paul, 34, said his parents, both 66, kept the diagnosis to themselves before revealing it to the family months later around November 2017.

Paul, who was at the Scotland v New Zealand rugby game in November 2017 when Weir launched his charity, said: “I was at that game but had no idea my dad had been diagnosed. It was pretty devastating.

“Him and my mum decided to keep it between themselves at first because the symptoms weren’t obvious and I think that was to give them a chance to process everything and keep things as normal as possible for as long as possible.

“It’s been really tough as a family but we’re lucky we’re really close to support each other and our mum and dad. “He’s still walking and his speech hasn’t been affected yet, so he’s beating the odds so far and staying unbelievably positive about it all.”

Paul told how, for years, his mother and father racked up 267 Munros and relished the outdoors.

“Ever since we were children our mum and dad have been very active,” he said.

“He worked for Shell and travelled abroad for his job then settled in Aberdeen around the time us children were of school age.

“From there they started ticking off Munros one by one and tried to convince us to join them. That’s how they spent their free time. It’s been continuing for the past 25 years.”

Paul, who runs a property maintenance company, said he and his sister Becky, 37, and brothers Adam, 31, and Matt, 40, revealed the Munros and fundraising idea to their parents while at the family home last Christmas.

“For the fundraiser we decided we didn’t want to step on dad’s toes because he was still determined to complete them,” he said.

“But he eventually realised it wouldn’t be possible. After that we decided to combine our efforts into something.

“He had 15 left so we want to complete those and raise money along the way. We floated the idea to mum and dad.

“Mum said she’d be really keen to join us and dad would help with the organising. As much as I enjoy the outdoors I wouldn’t say I’m in perfect trim to go climbing mountains.

“But it’s good that we’re all coming together as a family. As much as it’s about raising the money it’s also about coming together as a family and helping mum and dad.”

Starting in June, the family will travel to the Cuillin range on Skye and the Highlands to hike up Sgurr na Banachdich and Bla Bheinn.

Afterwards they aim to reach the summit of An Stuc, near Loch Tay, Perth and Kinross, and in August they plan on taking a week off to complete five Munros near Inverness.

Having raised £2,737 since the beginning of January and exceeded their target already, Paul said the family aim to keep going until they complete their Munro mission.

To read the full article on The Herald website click here.

Family to bag final 15 Munros for dad following ‘devastating’ MND diagnosis

Four siblings are coming together to make their father’s dream of “bagging” nearly 300 mountains come true following his devastating MND diagnosis.

David Choat, 66, and his wife Judy have spent the last 25 years ticking off the Munros with the hopes of becoming part of the elite group of mountaineers who have summited all 282 peaks.

A year after his retirement in 2017, however, David was diagnosed with MND – a life-limiting, rapidly-progressing disease that affects the brain and mobility.

His son Paul, 34, said Mr Choat had been looking forward to retirement with the prospect of completing the remaining 15 Munros.

However, his condition made it nearly impossible for him to continue.

It was then that his four children – Paul, Matt, Becky and Adam – came together and decided they would take on the challenge in their father’s name, all the while raising money and awareness for MND.

Paul said: “Mum and dad have always been quite outdoorsy. As far as I can remember, we were always being dragged up mountains left, right and centre growing up.

“I think mum always enjoyed the walking and the scenery, but for dad it became more of a competition.

“Sometime in 2000, he got hold of a map with the tick boxes and decided he would mark off each Munro.

“After dad retired in 2016, the idea was that they could take their time doing the last Munros, but then a year later dad got the devastating diagnosis.

“The news sent shockwaves through our family and is something we are still coming to terms with.

“They’ve tried to go up a few mountains since then but the disease takes a hold so quickly that there’s no way to get up anymore.”

Paul added that his father is fiercely competitive and when it came to summiting, the box on his map wouldn’t get ticked unless he reached the highest point of the mountain.

Over Christmas, the four siblings got together and decided to get their father over the finish line – with mum Judy leading the way.

“For mum, she didn’t want to complete it without dad there – so that’s when we proposed doing them on his behalf,” he said.

“We’re determined to finish it while raising funds for MND research through the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

“We’re all scattered around, with one of my brothers in London, so, we’ve got some logistics to work through.

“We want this to be a real family event, every time we come together.”

The siblings will reunite in June on Skye where they hope to tackle two Munros followed by the Loch Mullardoch Munros in August.

To read the full article on The Press and Journal website click here.

Munros 4 MND

The Choat family have set themselves a mountainous task to honour their parents' love of Munro "bagging" and raise funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.

Over the past 25 years, David and Judy Choat from Aberdeen have been ticking off the Munros throughout Scotland one by one, with the aim of joining the very elite group of mountaineers who have "bagged" all 282. After retiring in 2016 having completed the vast majority of the Munros, the prospect of finishing the list was becoming very real, however In 2017 David was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease.  

The news sent shockwaves through the family and is something they are still coming to terms with. Currently there is no cure, nor any effective treatment. Watching anyone go through something like this is heartbreaking, but watching someone you love suffer daily, with no prospect of recovery is unbearable. On top of the physical pain is the prospect that so many of David and his wife, Judy's plans for retirement will never be fulfilled.

At last count, the couple had completed a very impressive 267 of 282 Munros. This leaves 15 outstanding. Devastatingly, David is no longer able to complete these; and that's where the family comes in. Their four children, Paul, Matt, Adam and Becky have decided to act as their Dad's proxy to get them over the line. With David's help on the planning front and Judy leading the kids up the mountains, and the rest of the family poised and ready to help out, they are determined to finish off the list, and in doing so, raise some much needed funding for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation to further the research into MND. 

We wish them every success!

To read the full article on the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation website click here.