Ross and Fiona’s Story: Giving back to those who cared for our dad

The sudden loss of their father in December 2023 was a devastating blow for brother and sister, Ross and Fiona Matheson. But amidst their grief, they found a way to honour his memory and make a positive impact on others. Inspired by the compassionate care the family received at Ward 116 of Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, they embarked on a remarkable journey of fundraising and giving back – Fiona running the Edinburgh Half Marathon and Ross running the London Marathon.

This is Ross and Fiona’s story:

“On the 17th of December, 2023, we tragically lost Dad following a sudden and unexpected cardiac arrest, aged just 61 years old. The immediate administration of CPR by mum, the fast response time by the paramedics and the world-class care provided by the critical care team on Ward 116 at the Royal Infirmary gave our family five days by his bedside before his passing.

“During what was the most traumatic and life-changing 72 hours of our lives, our family was offered a private room on the ward allowing us to stay in the hospital 24 hours a day, receive round-the-clock updates from the nurses and consultants on duty, and have privacy to grieve as a family following the dreaded results of numerous scans and tests.

“The empathy, kindness and professionalism that was shown to us by all of the staff on the ward will never be forgotten.

“Just months before his passing, we had the privilege of watching Dad compete in the World Gran Fondo Cycling Championships in August 2023 and the Tour of Mallorca October 2023. His excellent level of fitness and health made the situation even harder for us to comprehend, but his immense drive and motivation for life inspired us to set goals for the year ahead, and do something meaningful in his memory.”

On the 21st of April, 2024, Ross ran his first ever marathon, through the streets of London alongside thousands of other runners raising money for great causes. He achieved an outstanding time of 02:36:23 and made the championships in 2025.

Following Ross’s triumphant run in London, it was then Fiona’s turn to carry her father’s spirit of grit and determination with her through the streets of Edinburgh as she ran the Edinburgh Half Marathon.

Fiona concludes: “I look back fondly on the times spent running with my Dad, where he’d often be pushing me to my limits and joking with me to ‘hurry up and catch him’, or encouraging me to ‘push hard right to the line’. I heard his voice in my head as I ran his favourite coastal route during the Edinburgh half.

“We are so grateful to everyone who supported us on our challenges. Between us, we managed to raise over £6,000 for Critical Care Unit to help other families like ours for weeks, months and years to come.”

Having spent considerable time in the relatives’ room within the Critical Care Unit, Ross and Fiona gained a deep understanding of the support and solace these spaces provide. This made them want to help others facing similar challenges by raising money to enhance the comfort and feel of the rooms so that other families might find a small measure of peace and respite during difficult times.

Brenda Duncan, Clinical Nurse Manager Critical Care 116 & 118, Main Recovery, POA/DOSA Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, explains how the money that was raised will transform the relatives’ room to provide comfort to other families:

“We are lucky to have four relatives’ rooms that families can use to access a quiet space where they can take in and process difficult news. However, over the years, the rooms have become worn and outdated. They’re quite uninviting and quite cold which is not the best environment to be dealing with a traumatic event.

“For a while, we have wanted to refurbish these spaces, so that they are more comfortable and relaxing, and thanks to Ross and Fiona’s fundraising, we can now make this a reality. We have ordered new furniture like reclining chairs, that can be made into a bed, and will redecorate the rooms and add familiar items like house plants.

“Having a comforting space to be together, to share stories about their loved ones, or to come to terms with traumatic news is important. It just allows them that space to be together that’s private.

“When you’re in a ward you’re aware of everyone around you, so I think it’s crucial to have a space that people can go to if they’re overwhelmed not only by the news but also the sensory stimulation in a ward – it can be very loud. There’s a lot of noise, there’s a lot of alarms and people need that space to be able to come away and sit quietly, where they can read or listen to music. It’s a private space where they can go and be together.

“The team and I are just overwhelmed sometimes by the generosity of people, particularly during such a time of grief. I am always in awe of families that are grieving and find the time and strength to think about us. For families to be thinking about us and to do something to support us is such an amazing thing and we’re really humbled and hugely appreciative. To then be able to use the money that someone has raised to improve the experience of families using those rooms is really remarkable. We are so grateful to Fiona, Ross and the family, for making this lasting impact on both us and countless other families at our Critical Care Unit.”