A 10-year-old girl whose mum is battling cancer completed a terrifying abseil down one of the city’s tallest buildings on Saturday just days after one of them suffered a possible concussion in a car crash.
Dunbog Primary School pupil Alysson Ross and her mother Vikki Wilson both completed the Marie Curie Daredevil Challenge by abseiling down Dundee University’s 140ft Tower Building to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Cupar woman Vikki, who is a former administrator, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in July. She has endured weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and is awaiting the results of her latest MRI scan, which will determine the next step in her battle back to health.
She was encouraged to do the Marie Curie abseil by young Alysson, who spotted an advertisement for the event at Dundee’s Avertical World climbing centre.
However, if the thought of abseiling down one of Dundee’s tallest buildings wasn’t scary enough, both Vikki and Alysson had a lucky escape after being involved in a collision with another vehicle last Wednesday.
“We were driving along the road and another car came into the side of us and we were knocked into the other side of the road,” said Vikki. “Fortunately, I was able to get the car into reverse and get us out of the way.”
Vikki struck her head on the door of the car in the incident and doctors suspect she may have suffered a concussion. Despite her injury, she was determined to complete the daunting daredevil challenge on Saturday.
She said, “I felt sick and dizzy after the accident. I’ve abseiled before but only about 30 feet, so this is different.”
Alysson and Vikki were the first of more than 60 brave souls to make the descent. Organiser Petra McMillan from Carnoustie said, “We have got about 65 people abseiling. We hope to raise about £10,000, which will be used to provide care for people with cancer in Dundee, Fife, Perthshire and Angus.”