FEW HUSBANDS would dare spend their wife’s birthday playing computer games.
But Grant Edwards, 35, has a good excuse his gaming marathon will help raise funds to look after sick and injured children.
The father-of-one will embark on 24 hours of button bashing this weekend, when wife Janine turns 31.
To make up for putting his console into overdrive, the foreman has promised to take Janine and daughter Holly, 4, out for a post-birthday treat.
Grant is among dedicated gamers across the country who will take part in the fourth Sick Kids Save Point event, which has raised more than £45,000 for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.
He said: “It’s my wife’s birthday on the day of the event but she’s kindly agreed to let me off, so I’ll probably take her out afterwards with my daughter once I’ve had time to catch up on some sleep.”
Janine said: “I don’t mind that Grant is taking part in the gaming marathon on my birthday, he’s raising funds for a great cause.”
Grant’s inspiration to sign up for the console challenge was the diagnosis of a friend’s nephew Jason with leukaemia at the age of two.
He said: “Jason has been in and out of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children receiving treatment to help make him better.
“The staff and care he has received have been second to none and I really wanted to do something to say thanks to the foundation for their dedicated support to the hospital.
“I’m a keen gamer, so this was the perfect challenge for me.
“Jason’s family have already been busy fundraising for the charity and his gran took part in the Sick Kids Friends Foundation skydive.
“I’ve had great support from my sponsors and their donations really mean a lot.”
Rachel McKenzie, head of community fundraising at the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to have gamers like Grant on board to support sick children throughout Scotland.
“Video game lovers should consider it the ultimate challenge staying awake and continuing to play long into the night with their own fundraising target in mind.”
cpeebles@thecourier.co.uk