Nurse to climb Ben Nevis in memory of her late brother
A BRAVE Inverclyde Royal nurse is climbing a mountain in aid of local mental health charity following the tragic death of her brother at the age of just 23.
Kirsty Brown told the Tele of her devastation after her ‘fun-loving’ young sibling Scott McDermott, originally from Gourock, took his own life in September last year.
In the weeks that followed the 35-year-old mum of two found herself consumed by grief and struggling to cope.
But her close-knit colleagues in the theatre wards at IRH rallied round and helped her fight back by going out walking every day.
Together they are now taking on Ben Nevis for the lifeline grassroots group Man On Inverclyde in the hope of raising awareness of suicide prevention and saving lives in Scott’s memory.
Former Gourock Primary School pupil Scott moved to New Zealand with his family while Kirsty remained in Inverclyde.
Kirsty, who lives in Staffa Street in Gourock said: “Scott’s death came out of nowhere, he was full of fun, everyone loved him.
“He was young, he loved going travelling, he had been all round Asia and made so many friends.
“He was a rower, he loved the outdoors and adventures. He was also a twin, which makes it all the harder for my brother Marc.
“We will never know what happened. After it, for the next three months I couldn’t get myself off the couch. That was how I coped, comforting myself with alcohol and food.
Scott’s death came out of nowhere, he was full of fun, everyone loved him
“Then on Christmas Day I thought to myself, ‘right, that is enough, I have to do something’. I decided to start getting myself out walking and bit by bit I started to feel better with every walk. Getting out doors and walking has helped my own wellbeing and made a difference.” Kirsty, who has worked in the surgical ward at Inverclyde Royal for five years, soon found her friends walking alongside her and they decided to work towards a target and set themselves a challenge.
The theatre team, Emma Shorthouse, Marsali Jack, Avril Wakefield, Louise Orr and Catriona Bell, were among those by her side.
Now there is a team of seven including Kirsty’s aunt Pauline heading for the top of the highest mountain in the British Isles.
She told the Tele: “It has meant such a lot to have everyone joining in, I can’t believe it but we are a close bunch. The theatre wards are a great place to work in.”
Determined Kirsty who has a son Charlie, 16, and daughter Melanie, aged six, decided to make the challenge count by raising vital funds for Man On.
The project took off during the pandemic, helping people fight back as mental health difficulties surfaced for many.
Kirsty added: “It is something that feels important and the right thing to do. Man On Inverclyde has helped my 16-year-old son. He has taken what happened so hard. Man On run football and other groups and they give people somewhere to talk.
“It’s so important to raise awareness of mental health, without projects like Man On Inverclyde people would have nowhere to go.
“The only place people can go sometimes is A&E, and that needs to change.”
Kirsty and her fellow mountain climbers will be taking on the climb on Saturday May 25.
If you would like to sponsor their charity effort you can do so online by visiting https://shorturl.at/HYuvK