80-year old ‘Bionic Man’ from Fife in last daredevil fundraiser for charity

It’s the final daredevil adventure from 80-year old Hugh Heath from Dunfermline who has raised thousands of pounds for Scottish Huntington’s Association over the years.

Hugh, who is originally from Glasgow and has three grown-up children and grandchildren from his first marriage, says the zipline challenge on Friday, September 8 will be his swansong.

“I wanted to do a skydive but my replacement knees ruled that out so a zipslide is the next best thing. I’m terrified of heights and it’s quite a climb to the top of the crane but I keep myself fit by going to the gym and I walked 15,000 steps every day in March,” he said. “By the end of the month I’d done more than 300,000 steps - I’m only 80, I feel strong, and I have new knees so there’s nothing to slow me down.”

Even the Covid pandemic couldn’t stop the retired salesman. When social distancing forced the cancellation of most fundraising events, he clocked up 2600 kilometres over 12 months as part of the charity’s Big Walk campaign, smashing the 2000-kilometre target and netting more than £3000 along the way.

Hugh’s support for the association began after he met his second wife Rose, whose four children inherited the faulty gene that causes Huntington’s disease from their late father. Two of her children have since passed away, and another daughter is in the late stages of the disease and receives 24-hour care in a care home.

Their fourth sibling, Dr Marie Short MBE, is a trustee at Scottish Huntington’s Association and a passionate advocate and campaigner for improved specialist services for families living with the condition.

Hugh said: “It’s a dreadful disease that devastates families over many generations. I didn’t know anything about it before I met Rose back in the 1970s, none of us did. Then after her ex-husband was diagnosed we discovered what that could mean for each of their children.”

Huntington’s disease is incurable and hereditary – each child of a person with the condition is at 50% risk of having inherited the gene. As the incurable condition progresses it causes severe physical, mental, and cognitive symptoms.

These can result in the loss of ability to walk, talk, eat, drink, and make rational decisions. Physical symptoms include uncontrolled repetitive movements, poor co-ordination and balance, problems with speech and swallowing, fatigue and weight loss.

Hugh said he is inspired by stepdaughter Marie’s determination to do all she can to support the Huntington’s community through her involvement with the association. Marie’s commitment to volunteering, raising awareness and fundraising was recognised in the late Queen’s 2019 Honours List and she received her MBE medal from Prince William.

Scottish Huntington’s Association is the only charity in Scotland dedicated exclusively to the Huntington’s community. It delivers lifeline services to families across Scotland through a network of HD specialists, specialist youth advisors and financial wellbeing officers.

Its call for improved specialist services in 2021 remains the most supported motion in the history of the Scottish Parliament.

Visit hdscotland.org to find out more.