Scot David Dooher will climb Ben Nevis, the UK’s tallest mountain, with 100kg on his back to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

The father of two followed Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir’s story from when he was first diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Dooher, who has already raised over £10,000 for the charity, will start the climb on 7 June, his birthday. The 38-year-old has trained for six months which has included climbing other mountains with weights – Ben Vorlich with 95kg and Ben Lomond with 75kg.

He said: “The pain in my back, neck and shoulders is impossible to ignore and manage,  however I want to symbolise the burden carried by the people who live with MND and their families as much as possible.”

David Dooher in training for his climb (Story Shop)

And he added: “I want it to be difficult and painful. I’ve already been emotional during some walks just because of the pain and exhaustion,  but that adds to the magnitude for me so I’m not afraid to show it. 

“I’ve received so many lovely messages from families of people diagnosed or whose family have passed away due to MND. That reinforces the reasons for why I’m tackling the task. I’ll be thinking about Doddie with every step. 

“It’s been a big sacrifice. I’ll take a week off to recover once I’m done and maybe start planning a wee holiday when it’s all over.”

Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “We are blown away by David’s efforts. His training alone is unthinkable.

“We will all be rooting for him and are very proud that Doddie’s legacy continues to inspire people to do incredible things and push beyond their limits, all to find a cure for MND. We are very grateful to him, and to everyone who has donated.

If you would like to donate to Dooher’s fundraiser you can do so here.

Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.

Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.