2026-04-28T14:32:27+00:00

Friends and family take on KiltWalk to honour Mighty Mo

When Morag Ross died at Roxburghe House aged 61 in June last year, her family lost someone irreplaceable.

They also gained something they hadn’t expected - a team, a purpose and a plan.

On 7 June, 10 people will set off to complete the Kiltwalk Aberdeen, raising funds for Friends of Roxburghe House Grampian. And it will be in memory of Morag, known to those who loved her as Mighty Mo.

Team Mighty Mo is made up of Morag’s daughters Zoe and Sofie, along with her son-in-law Stewart and a close circle of friends and family - Erin, Anne, Grace, Claire, Ruby, Christian and Joe.

“After signing up for the Kiltwalk I had the incredible news that I was pregnant,” explained Mo’s daughter Zoe.

“So the girls of the group are coming with me to do the Wee Wander as I will be 23 weeks pregnant and the boys are putting in the work for the 18 miles.

“We are delighted to be wearing our Friends of Roxburghe t-shirts and I am sure there will be an array of tartan on the go.”

“Mega cool”

Together, they are walking to honour a woman who faced the end of her life with extraordinary spirit.

Morag chose to donate her body to science, something her family says she thought was “mega cool”.

Because of that decision, there has been no funeral so for Team Mighty Mo, the KiltWalk has taken on a deeper significance.

“This walk feels like an important way for us to honour her and remember how special she was,” said Zoe.

“Our mum enjoyed baking - banana bread and tiffin being real winners – as well as music, especially Queen and the bagpipes, being a mum and even more so being a nana to her three grandchildren Harley, Cameron and Jay.

“She always loved a catch-up with her close friend Kenny where they would usually put the world to rights with some treats from JG Ross the baker.”

Precious

Before Morag came to Roxburghe House, her family had spent months caring for her at home. When she was admitted to the hospice, something shifted for the people who loved her most.

“Roxburghe House gave us something incredibly precious, the chance to simply be daughters again,” said Zoe.

“Mum loved a flat white, so being able to wheel her through and get one of these from the vending machine felt like a treat and a bit of normality.

“I specifically remember just being able to go and get a cup of tea, and having that space to sit and breathe. Something as simple as not having to worry about having cash, or paying a small fortune for a cuppa and just sitting there for 5-10 mins when things got real tough made such a big difference.

“My son was nine at the time and being able to take him into the children’s area before and after really just made it a nicer experience for him, and things like the arts set made for some great amusement and decoration around the room. We’re delighted to hear about its recent upgrade, thanks to Friends.

“And the gardens were great - being able to open those doors and let the fresh air in, stand outside and just watch the birds was so lovely.

Team Mighty Mo has already raised over £300, and with the walk still weeks away, Zoe is hoping supporters will help them go further. Every penny raised goes directly to Friends of Roxburghe House Grampian, helping to fund the care and comfort the hospice provides to so many families.

“Thank you for supporting and helping Roxburghe House continue the incredible work they do for families like ours,” said Zoe.

If you'd like to support Team Mighty Mo, you can donate here.

Spanning a distance of four miles, the KiltWalk’s Wee Wander starts at Cults Academy, Cults and walking to the end site at Duthie Park. The 18-mile Mighty Stride should take around seven hours, starting at Bellfield Park in Banchory and walking to the end site at Duthie Park.

Last June, we were proud to have had our highest ever number of over 70 fundraisers took part in the Aberdeen KiltWalk,and a few weeks later, four walkers completed the Dundee KiltWalk, helping raise over £60,000 for the charity. Thanks to the dedicated fundraising efforts of Aberdeen Kiltwalkers alone, last year £1.3million was raised for 517 Scottish Charities locally and across Scotland.

>> Main picture shows Morag Ross – also known as Mighty Mo – pictured around five years ago with her family around her, including her three daughters and three grandchildren.

What's going on