After what felt like losing a week to the flu I was determined to get my body moving again.
I’m determined to make the most of these last few weeks before I go into surgery No.7.
Several months ago I spoke with Martin Murray – a fellow Scot who lives in Hong Kong – about travelling over to speak at the International Security Forum annual dinner he holds out there to help support the work the ISF do in Cambodia.
Martin has lived in Hong Kong since 1993 and was instrumental in setting up the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation out there. So I knew this would be a trip of a lifetime which also aligns directly with my values of using both sport and my experiences of hospital to help others live a more flourishing life.
Speaking at events like the ISF dinner gives me an opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives. It is something I never take for granted.
When professor Choi told me I was heading back into surgery I was praying that I could get my Hong Kong trip in before he starts cutting me open. I have worked hard on my strength and right now my quality of life is the best it has been in years, so I know I can travel and move better than I have since being paralysed.
So after a 14-hour flight I found myself exercising on a rooftop hotel overlooking Hong Kong thinking how lucky I was to recover just in time from the flu to make it here.
I paused and told myself: “David be where your feet are.”
My reality will change soon enough but on the first night I found myself on a boat trip around the harbour with a group of fellow Scots who all live here in Hong Kong.
I had to pinch myself several times as the boat sailed the length of the harbour and I just sat listening to a mix of Scottish accents.
It was a moment I will remember when lying in ICU in a few weeks.
Fighting jet lag I kept thinking I need to get the most out of every second here. So from gym sessions to keeping my body strong, to soaking up the culture and making new friends, it was one of those paradoxical moments.
I would never have been here if I had not had a tumour and yet I would give anything to never have heard the word tumour.
On trips like this I wonder if maybe this is my purpose in life. And when I heard of the work that the ISF do, I thought this is a moment when there is a positive to my tumour in giving me a voice to help others.
The ISF believes that every child, regardless of where they are born, has the right to an education, healthcare and sport – something I took for granted growing up in Aviemore.
Their aim is to build a fundamental and long-lasting positive change in the lives of some of the poorest and most disadvantaged children and their families in Cambodia.
As you can imagine football was a big talking point amongst the Scots here and, on my first night, if I had closed my eyes and just listened I could have been on a boat in the Clyde with a group of Rangers supporters.
It was only when I opened my eyes to see the intimidating amount of sky scrapers that I reminded myself I was in the Far East.
Sport and especially football plays a key part in what the ISF do in Cambodia and their Football Programme has worked with over 3800 young players.
This includes 1600 girls and 220 deaf and hearing-impaired players with 100 players with physical and intellectual disabilities.
This is why I love sport.
Even though I was a terrible footballer, no matter where I have travelled in the world I have seen children enjoy the beautiful game.
The ISF is a Cambodian charity with 16 years of experience using education and sport to change lives and I feel massively humbled to have been invited to speak at the dinner and to know that through my journey I can somehow make a difference to something greater than myself.
As I sit writing on the 29th floor overlooking the harbour, it’s hard to think in only a matter of weeks I will be looking at the ceiling in ICU.
It is a reminder of this beautiful thing called life, and a strong reminder of the importance of relationships.
No matter what comes of this next surgery, I take solace in the fact I felt like my life has meant something and that I have met some incredible people, shared a few drams over some great conversations and have been fortunate to seen the world.
So as I sign off from here in Hong Kong to go explore the city, I encourage you to stay present, be where your feet are and keep nourishing the relationships in your life as these are the moments that really matter.
Hong Kong opportunity a timely reminder to keep living in the present
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04.11.2023
After what felt like losing a week to the flu I was determined to get my body moving again.
I’m determined to make the most of these last few weeks before I go into surgery No.7.
Several months ago I spoke with Martin Murray – a fellow Scot who lives in Hong Kong – about travelling over to speak at the International Security Forum annual dinner he holds out there to help support the work the ISF do in Cambodia.
Martin has lived in Hong Kong since 1993 and was instrumental in setting up the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation out there. So I knew this would be a trip of a lifetime which also aligns directly with my values of using both sport and my experiences of hospital to help others live a more flourishing life.
Speaking at events like the ISF dinner gives me an opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives. It is something I never take for granted.
When professor Choi told me I was heading back into surgery I was praying that I could get my Hong Kong trip in before he starts cutting me open. I have worked hard on my strength and right now my quality of life is the best it has been in years, so I know I........
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