A ROSYTH woman is set to abseil from the Forth Bridge to raise funds for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland. 

Karen Smith, 54, holds the charity close to her heart after her husband, Craig, suffered from a small stroke at the beginning of the year. 

Having met a friend who suffered from a stroke previously, the couple knew to work fast and due to quick intervention and the work of the NHS, he is recovering well. 

Karen told the Press: "Craig had a small stroke in January but he got treatment really quickly, saw the neurologist and everything, so he's alright. He's not got any lasting effects. 

"But we were actually out in somebody's company that did have lasting effects where he couldn't speak and couldn't write so of course he can't communicate and I just thought, we were really lucky, we're really fortunate. 

"I'd bought the Chest Heart and Stroke Christmas cards, got the email and I thought, it's all tying in so I thought I just wanted to give something back.

"I'm not mega confident but I've been up the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa at 2716 feet; the Empire State Building at 1250 feet; the Eiffel Tower at 1083 feet and Blackpool Tower at 518 feet, so this should be a piece of cake - but then I wasn't impersonating Tom Cruise when I visited these landmarks!"

Karen decided to raise money for the charity that does such vital work to support those who suffer from strokes. 

Dunfermline Press: Karen will be abseiling down the Forth Rail Bridge on the afternoon of Sunday, October 8.

One of 600 people taking part overall, she will descend down from the dizzy heights of the rail deck onto the beach in South Queensferry on Sunday, October 8. 

"I've not really tried to find out too much about it! I don't know if I want to know!" she laughed. 

"I think it's the Glasgow Climbing School that is organising it and I think the hardest thing is going over the rail and then you're just lowering yourself down with the rope. 

"I don't know how difficult it is, I'm hoping it's not.

"As I say, it's not my usual way of getting to the beach but hopefully it's alright."

So far Karen has raised a whopping £1,060, far and away above her £250 target.

A good amount of the money raised has come from her generous employer, Bonnar Accident Law, who donated £200, and the Crossfit Fife gym in Elgin Industrial Estate in Dunfermline who contributed £300 to her fundraiser. 

She continued: "My big donations, I got £200 from my work and then £300 from Alan Wheatley at Crossfit Fife through his fundraising. 

"That was a big chunk of it and that's made it kind of worthwhile."

 

Sharing their decision to donate to Karen's cause on Facebook, Crossfit Fife wrote: "After raising funds for our own defibrillator earlier this year we have been looking for a charity to donate our excess funds raised.

"After seeing a post on social media by Karen Smith, raising money for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, we knew this was the one.

"After her husband suffered a stroke, Karen wanted to raise funds - and to do so she is going to abseil off the Forth Bridge!

"We are delighted to donate £300 to CHSC via Karen's challenge."

To donate to Karen's fundraiser, visit her JustGiving page.