Rostrevor help Raymond reach the summit of glory & victory

ALTHOUGH the spirit of Raymond McDonald was saddened to learn that his beloved daughter Emily was suffering from leukemia, thanks to the people of Rostrevor his soul went marching on up to the summit of Slieve Martin Cairn.

Mr McDonald, who is a the loving father of two young girls Sadie (4) and Emily (2) took it upon himself to ascend to the summit of the mountain that reigns over the landscape of his home village of Rostrevor once a day, every day throughout last year as a way to raise money for Autism NI as his eldest daughter awaited a diagnosis of being on the spectrum.

Whilst the challenge that Mr McDonald set for himself, which sounds as if it sprang straight from the pages of a tome of Irish mythology, was going exceptionally well throughout the former half of last year, Raymond feared he may have to abandon his challenge after his other daughter Emily was diagnosed with leukemia in August.

However, rather than having to relinquish his objective of standing proud a top the head of the behemoth of a mountain once a day, every day for a year, the people of Rostrevor and wider south Down area swiftly answered the call to duty and ascended the mountain in Raymond’s place as he attended to the needs of his family

It was thanks in no small part to the role played by the people of Rostrevor in helping their neighbour achieve his goal that both Raymond, his wife Amy and everyone else involved in the completion of the challenge found themselves standing a top a summit of victory and glory at Slieve Martin Cairn on new years day having raised close to £6000 for Autism NI in the process.

Now with his feet planted firmly back below sea level and with his daughter Emily having now gone into remission following an intensive bout of chemotherapy at the Royal Victoria Hospital Raymond has stated that it was great to see so many people rally around he and his family in their moment of need during their darkest hour.

Community Spirit

“Emily being diagnosed with Leukemia was the shock of the year, but everyone rallied around us and got it finished. Sadie has also received her diagnosis in April of last year.

“At the start of the challenge it was difficult but whenever I got to around June time I was going okay and I was finding it easier. It was getting into the good weather in July and August. It was difficult during the first three or four months but then it became a habit and it was just became something I knew I had to do every day like going to work so I got it done.

“There were no real aches or pains, only on the odd day and through doing this I felt a lot healthier and I lost a bit of weight, around a couple of stone. Someday’s I felt a bit sore and I would have just taken it slower.”

Although Raymond may have only been feeling a few twangs of pain during his climbing of the mountain, of which he made 247 ascents before having to change tactics, nothing could have prepared he and his wife for the shock of learning that their beloved daughter Emily had contracting leukemia, something which came completely out of the blue for the couple.

“We found out Emily was suffering from Leukemia on August 16 . On the Saturday before this we noticed that she was a wee bit pale and we phoned the out of hours doctor who said that it would be better to speak with our own doctor. Initially we did not think it was anything serious. So we consulted with our own doctor and went straight up to Daisy Hill to get Emily's blood taken. Whenever her bloods came back this is when we suspected it. After this we were told to go straight to the Hematology ward in the Royal Victoria Hospital to the blood cancer unit. We were straight in there that night and then the chemotherapy started the next day.

“I left Amy and Emily in the Royal and we worked at it 24 hours each at a time in the hospital and then who was ever home looked after Sadie. I was initially going to stop the ascent for a week to see what I could do but then I realised I was not going to be able to continue with it.”

It was thanks to the suggestion of a few close friends that Raymond did not have to abandon his challenge entirety.

Going up the mountain

“I got around to day 247 before a couple of friends suggested the idea of getting other people to complete the challenge and then it just sort of snowballed.

“The following week a lot of people started it and then we continued on. It was a friend Roger Morgan that suggested that he and others should climb up the mountain in my place. He went up it a few times and also started a Whatsapp group and then there were 50 or 60 in it for a couple of days. After August I myself went up the mountain say around 20 times.

“After this we had someone up the mountain every day and I think it ended up that there were 876 ascents of Slieve Martin Cairn in total. Amy and I also went up the mountain on new years eve along with 50 other people as a bit of a group walk. It was great to see so many people rallying around us to help and there was a good sense of community more than anything else and it was great to get it completed. Although there is money still coming in we are up the £6000 mark.

Now with edifice of Slieve Martin Cairn having been conquered by both himself and his acquaintances a total of no less than 876 times in total both Raymond and his wife Amy are looking forward to a peaceful and prosperous new year, with the Rostrevor man not ruling out the possibility of becoming involved in another activity to help raise funds for Angel Wishes which was the charity that helped his daughter Emily through her darkest hour.

“Emily is doing well as we found out just before Christmas that she is now in remission. The last blood text came back and there was no cancer in her. However the treatment still continues. It is a two year course and she has a year and a half left of it left. Although there are days that she may be up and down at the minute she is in a good mood. She is a warrior and the chemo does not seem to take much of a flinch out of her, she just gets on with it.

“Sadie is also doing good. She is at her school and is doing really well. There is a charity called Angel Wishes that helps Emily and there was a Christmas swim in Rostrevor which I did this this year. We will probably do something else as well, I don’t know what but I will think of something crazy to do.”