A WOMAN has smashed a £10,000 fundraising target by completing four Edinburgh Marathon Festival events in a single weekend- running 78km in two days for the disabled brother she helps care for.
Micaela Church completed the 5km (3.1 miles) and 10km (6.2 miles) on Saturday, followed by the half marathon (21.1km / 13.1 miles) and full marathon (42.2km / 26.2 miles), raising vital funds for Capability Scotland’s Our Inclusive Community Project (OICP).
The new development will replace Upper Springland, the Perth residential facility where her brother Matthew lives, which faces a significant flooding risk that threatens its long-term future.
Matthew, who was born with cytomegalovirus, lives with learning disabilities, autism, epilepsy and severe anxiety that requires round-the-clock specialist care. When Micaela and her siblings became his welfare guardians following the sudden loss of their mother five years ago, Upper Springland’s support proved invaluable to the whole family.
Micaela said: “The team at Upper Springland have taken the time to truly understand Matthew, his needs, his anxieties and the things that bring him joy.
“Knowing he is safe and genuinely cared for gives our whole family peace of mind. That’s what I’m running for.”
The new OICP facility will include a specialist hydrotherapy pool and that detail has driven every training mile. Swimming is where Matthew is at his happiest and the thought of securing that for him, and others like him, gave Micaela’s campaign its purpose.
Micaela remembered her mother returning from the Edinburgh Marathon Festival with a medal, convinced she had won. Decades later, she ran the same course carrying that memory with her.
Ailsa Wallace, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Capability Scotland, said: “What Micaela is taking on is extraordinary both the physical challenge and the dedication behind it.
“Upper Springland has served people from across Scotland for over 40 years. The OICP will ensure that exceptional care continues in a modern, purpose-built environment that truly reflects it and fundraising like this brings that future one step closer.”
To support Micaela’s challenge, visit: