Mountain trek mother in Sick Kids cash call

A SINGLE mum who lost two stone to tackle the UK’s highest mountain in aid of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation (SKFF) is urging others to raise funds for the charity.

Zoe Hayes, 34, from Gilmerton, set herself a challenge to get into shape and climb 1344 metres to the top of Ben Nevis in a bid to raise funds for the SKFF last year.

A midnight trip to the Sick Kids made the mother-of-two appreciate the importance of the charity.

She said: “I had to take my eldest son to accident and emergency when he was only ten months old. Believe me, this is a parent’s nightmare.

“This experience really highlighted how extraordinary the work of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation is.”

Zoe’s son Isaac, now four, had a suspected febrile convulsion – a seizure prevalent in children aged six months to five years. He recovered without the need to be admitted for further treatment, but the experience encouraged Zoe to take on the fundraising challenge, raising almost £700 from sponsorship and donations.

This year’s Ben Nevis trek will take place between October 5 and 7, with coach transfers available between Edinburgh and Fort William.

Participants are required to pay an entry fee of £50 per person and raise a minimum of £500 in sponsorship.

Call 0131-668 4949 or e-mail [email protected] for more details.