Super-fit Milngavie navy man aims to scale Ben Nevis on all fours in epic 'bear crawl' for charity

Climbing a mountain is an arduous enough challenge – but a former Douglas Academy pupil is taking it to a whole new level to raise funds in aid of a seriously ill Milngavie youngster.
Martin STUART-MACRAE originally from Milngavie,Martin STUART-MACRAE originally from Milngavie,
Martin STUART-MACRAE originally from Milngavie,

Martin Stuart-MacRae (22) who is in the Royal Navy, plans to scale Ben Nevis on all fours – a bear crawl – on Saturday, April 24.

He hopes to raise funds and awareness from his mountainous task for three-year-old Arlo McArthur.

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The little Milngavie boy urgently needs a stem cell transplant to save his life after he was diagnosed with a deadly blood disorder at just 10 weeks old.

Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome is a rare genetic immunodeficiency disease . It also makes it difficult for a child's bone marrow to produce platelets, making them prone to bleeding. Arlo has been only the third case at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

A Facebook group called Arlo’s Army has also been set up to raise funds to help Arlo live his best life.

Martin’s mum Ann Marie said: “The little boy desperately needs a bone marrow transplant to save his life and his parents are trying to find a stem cell match with the Anthony Nolan Trust worldwide.”

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She added: "I am so proud of Martin doing this challenge all off his own back, and the Navy have donated £650 to his GoFund site.”

Martin, who has already smashed his £1,000 target, also successfully completed long-distance triathlon race Ironman 70 and raised £550 for Arlo's Army.

Anne Marie added: “Martin wanted to do something close to home. He has been in Gibraltar and been training out there, climbing the Rock. The Bear Crawl is a stress position on all fours. Martin wanted to do a challenge that would test him mentally and physically.”

Donate to Martin’s challenge at https://uk.gofundme.com/f/29lvvbkytc