On Sunday 18th September 2022, 27 walkers from Edinburgh completed the Kiltwalk in memory of Christopher Cowe who passed away tragically and suddenly in January 2021 from an undiagnosed heart condition which we later found out to be Myocarditis. Christopher’s parents – Ross and Shiva – together with Christopher’s grandparents, family members, friends, colleagues and ten pupils from Balerno High School, many of whom had known Christopher since Primary School, completed a 4 mile walk from Silverknowes Promenade to Murrayfield Stadium to raise funds for The Christopher Cowe Memorial Fund through Cardiac Risk in the Young.

6 of the walkers also completed longer walks of 13 miles and 21.5 miles respectively completing the Big Stroll and the Mighty Stride. Ross said “The support we have had not only from family and friends but from the local community and colleagues has been overwhelming. We were extremely proud today to walk with ten of Christopher’s friends from Balerno High School, many of whom have known Christopher since Nursery and Primary School days and it was an honour and a privilege to walk with them. My Wife, Shiva, works for ESPC in Edinburgh and was joined by three colleagues and family members to complete the Wee Wander and we cannot thank them enough for their support at the most difficult time in our lives”.

Fundraising for the event has been building up for a few months leading up to the walk and at the time of writing the Wee Wander for Christopher Team and Team ESPC have raised nearly £8000 for Christopher’s Memorial fund through CRY.  Ross also said “The money that has been raised is beyond what we ever thought possible and shows the impact Christopher’s passing had on a large number of people across local and work communities. The great news is that by completing the Kiltwalk the Hunter Foundation, which is headed up by the magnificent Scottish Businessman and Entrepreneur Tom Hunter, top up any fundraising by 50%. This means that we will raise £12000 which will allow us through Christopher’s fund to organise two local heart screenings at Balerno High School and Currie High School in the early part of 2023. Christopher had so many friends at both schools who miss him dearly so it will be a wonderful tribute to his legacy for us to be able to ensure his friends and peers are tested to ensure they can lead full and happy lives.” Ross added “Going forward we will be completing the Kiltwalk on an annual basis as part of our fundraising calendar.

Together with other fundraising activities we hope to raise enough money to enable an annual heart screening to be run in the local area in Christopher’s name to ensure that Christopher’s legacy lives on and that no other parents and families have to go through the same heartache, grief and loss that we have had to go through. We miss Christopher every day but it is important to us to make sure that he is never forgotten and his legacy lives on”.