Virtual Kiltwalk in memory of Aoife, 6
A dad who lost his sixyear-old daughter to brain cancer is taking part in this year’s Virtual Kiltwalk to continue raising funds for a sensory bus in her honour.
Michael Kidd, from Monkton, hopes “something good can come out of something so devastating” by helping others while remembering little Aoife, who died in December 2019.
Aoife had been fighting brain cancer since she was a baby. She was diagnosed with high grade glioma when she was just 16 months old.
Parents Michael and Evelyn, both 38, set up the charity Aoife’s Sensory Bus to provide a fun and interactive learning space for children, young people and young adults with any additional support and complex needs.
Dad Michael and five trustees from Aoife’s Sensory Bus will be embarking on a ‘lap of Ayrshire’ between Friday, April 23 and Monday, April 25 - some 440 kilometres - in the Virtual Kiltwalk to help get their bus on the road.
Paramedic Michael said: “It works out about 440km doing a full circumference of Ayrshire with Arran added, so between the six of us over the three days it works out about 24k a day.
“It’ll be on our own terms and within our local area; whether that’s dancing, skipping, jumping, going out a walk or on the bike - whatever way to get that total up. We hope if we can get some more people to volunteer with the Kiltwalk we can see how many miles we can do and we could manage even a couple of laps.”
The charity is hoping to get kilts made in its very own registered tartan, designed by community group Troon Ladies Circle, who entered Aoife’s Sensory Bus tartan competition.
Michael said: “Troon Ladies Circle came up with the winning design; it’s bright and vibrant and will definitely make us more identifiable.
“We struggled to pick a winner, so we gave the casting vote to Aoife’s sister Eilidh. It’s something that will be fond for her to look back on as well.
“I think the Kiltwalk and the tartan will go hand in hand - we might not be able to get kilts designed with the tartan on such short notice but we’ll certainly get T-shirts sorted out.”
The charity is not far away from getting the bus, donated by Stagecoach and installed with sensory equipment, touring Ayrshire and helping others.
It works out about 440km doing a full circumference of Ayrshire with Arran added.