2023-09-16T14:53:01+00:00

Rachel takes on Banchory Beast Race in memory of her “bonus dad”

Northfield nurse Rachel Holland takes on the mighty Banchory Beast Race on Saturday (23 Sep) in memory of her stepdad Les Mackie.

She is fundraising for Friends to mark the support he received at Roxburghe House where he was receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer before sadly passing away in March this year aged 57.

“I told him I’d signed up for Beast Race at his bedside on the ward back in February and he told me I was mad...and let's be honest he wasn't wrong,” said Rachel.

“But I also told him I'd be raising funds for Roxburghe House, a place that I know he really appreciated including all the staff and all that they did for him.”

Rachel is taking on the challenge with her friend Sara. The Banchory Beast Race is a punishing 10km obstacle course race in the heart of Aberdeenshire. With more than 25 mega obstacles - giant water slides, icy loch water, thick mud & swamp crossings – it bills itself as “the ultimate team challenge”.

Nurse teacher

Rachel’s day job is as a registered NHS Grampian nurse working in Practice Education based in Woodend, which she describes as a “nurse teacher” supporting the learning and development of students and staff.

She calls Les her “bonus dad”, saying: “Les was my stepdad but part of my life from a young age and treated me like his daughter - which is where ‘bonus dad’ comes from.

“He walked me down the aisle in November 2021 during the time he was receiving chemotherapy and he was very frail at the time.

“He made the decision to stop treatment shortly after that and for a time was quite well and regained some quality of life. He was able to drive, go fishing and clay pigeon shooting and him and mum managed a wee holiday to Inverness.

“He then started to deteriorate and was referred to Roxburghe House in December. In what was an incredibly difficult time - the months leading up to his passing and afterwards - the care and support both he and we received from Roxburghe was exceptional and will not be forgotten.

“I don't think the hole left in our lives without him will ever really heal. I just hope that even if I'm limping over the finish line (giving him a good old laugh from wherever he is) I can make him proud and raise funds to help Roxburghe continue to provide outstanding care to families like ours.”

If you’d like to support Rachel with her fundraising, you can do just that on her JustGiving page here.

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