Grandad, 80, with MND reaches the summit
A brave great grandad battling motor neurone disease has faced down the illness by climbing his favourite Ayrshire hills.
Gary Voce has already lost his voice to the crippling conditions and is unable to eat.
But at the age of 80, a year-anda-half on from his devastating diagnosis, he is not willing to let the degenerative condition take his passion away.
The former fisherman, who stays in Ballantrae near Girvan, has set his sights on reaching the peak of Ailsa Craig as one of his last climbs.
The great grandad-of-two and grandad-of-four spent his 80th climbing a Munro and has been using an etch-a-sketch to communicate with family as he continues to push on.
Proud daughter Sharon Robertson has told how her brave dad has been an ‘inspiration’ after continuing the walks despite suffering a fall.
She has been assisting her dad, who lives with his wife of 57 years Jane, up the Knockdolian which he still consistently manages in 40 minutes each time.
Sharon, 53, said: “My dad has always been a keen hill walker. He loves where he comes from; he was a fisherman for many years based in Troon.
“He has been living with motor
neurone disease since last yearhis voice has gone but as long as his legs work he will be up on the hills.
“There is no such word as can’t or won’t to him, he has always been quite stubborn and he would never lie down.
“He suffered a fall not long ago when he was too weak to get back up on his feet, so he always has someone with him now.
“It’s been inspirational for us as a family. It has been a tough thing to go through for all of us, but he just keeps going, it has been
amazing to see.
“For his 80th birthday this year, his voice was gone but he could still eat some stuff. We went up the Geal Charn which is 625m.
“Two of my sons came and his grandsons, so we had three generations on a Munro.”
Gary, who has a son living in South Africa, Gary jnr, 56, was first diagnosed with bulbar onset MND in January 2020 after symptoms including slurred speech began to show.
His worried family thought their dad suffered a stroke at first
but further tests confirmed it was MND. Now the disease has stopped Gary from being able to speak and swallow foods.
His only treatment is regular injections of botox into his salivary glands as he finds other ways to communicate with his wife.
Sharon said: “His arms are getting weaker and he is really thin - he used to be well built.
“I think first hand, it is really hard to see someone like that. I just try to focus on him and keep him motivated.
“If I thought about it all day
every day I wouldn’t be able to function. My mum is feeling more isolated because he can’t speak and I want to make sure he’s okay and they are okay.
“She doesn’t want him to keep going up the hills after a fall but that doesn’t stop him.
“There are days it can hit you but I like to live in the moment, just like he does.
“Before Covid struck, he really wanted to climb Ailsa Craig. He would still love to do that before the day comes when he no longer can.”