Hillwalker raises money for SCAA following Bennachie rescue: "They are the angels in the sky"

Marion Singleton fractured her pelvis when she tripped over a stone while climbing the hill with a friend in August 2020.

During her long road of physical and mental recovery, she vowed to return and finish the climb to thank Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), who flew her to hospital. The occupational therapy healthcare support worker has now completed her challenge, raising £2,275 for the charity.

Marion remembers the day of her accident clearly, and knows that without SCAA she could have had an even more painful experience with rescuers stretchering her down the bumpy hill.

“I just remember flying forward and my full body landed flat on the ground”, she said. “I felt really sick, nauseous and winded.”

After a few minutes Mrs Singleton, from Kemnay, tried to stand up and keep walking but it was too painful. She did not know it yet, but she had broken the right side of her pelvis.

A man came across Mrs Singleton and her friend and called the ambulance, heading down to the bottom of Bennachie to guide paramedics to them.

“I could feel myself getting colder”, said Mrs Singleton.

But 45-minutes later she breathed a “sigh of relief” when she saw the police and paramedics walking up the hill.

The team called SCAA to see if they could fly Mrs Singleton to hospital to save her body the bumpy journey down Bennachie and potentially more damage.

Following the incident Mrs Singleton underwent physiotherapy and psychological therapy. She was off work for over five months and was unable to drive for three months. It also appears she will be left with permanent stiffness and arthritis. But Mrs Singleton never let her circumstances deter her from trying again. After seeing SCAA’s online challenge of walking 100 miles in a month she was inspired to join in.

“It was a promise I was determined to keep,” she said. “Being part of the online challenge with hundreds of others gave me the drive and encouragement to succeed.”

Mrs Singleton set off on the return trip with her husband Iain exactly one year after her fall, on the same day and at the same time.

“It was hard and it was emotional but standing at the top of the hill where I had one of the very darkest days of my life allowed me to lay the demons to rest and finally get closure on the trauma I’d been through”, she said.

“I got a real adrenaline rush and practically ran the final leg. “I’d done it – I’d finally done it.”

SCAA had only started operating its Aberdeen-based helicopter a few months before the accident and Mrs Singleton was the first patient to be rescued from Bennachie.

“I dread to think what would have happened if they’d not been there,” she said. “The hill was so slippy that day. What if they had dropped me on the walk down?

“They are very important and I don’t think they get enough support. They are the angels in the sky.”

Mrs Singleton’s fundraiser drew the attention of the health union UNISON which also contributed £1,500 to the cause.

UNISON official Laura McDonald said: “Being interlinked with healthcare, we believe in supporting the fantastic work SCAA does on a daily basis.”

Mrs Singleton added: “SCAA relies entirely on public donations to keep its service in the air and I would urge everyone to do what they can to ensure this amazing dedicated group of men and women continue to be there for those most in need.

“You never know when disaster will strike.”