Бывший учитель из Инверклида плавает миллион метров в память о дочери, ушедшей от мышечной атрофии

A DEVOTED dad who spent decades shaping the hearts and minds of Inverclyde’s young people has described how the death of his own daughter 26 years ago is still inspiring him today. Former teacher Hugh Stewart’s daughter Jolene was just four years old when she passed away in 2000. Jolene was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic muscle-wasting condition which is caused by damage to nerve cells in the spinal cord. But Hugh says his happy memories of his little girl are still burning brightly inside him. Hugh, who spent 50 years at St Stephen’s High School in Port Glasgow, first as a pupil and then a teacher, has now swapped the classroom for the swimming pool. He set himself the target, nearly a year ago, of swimming a million metres in 12 months in Jolene’s memory. He’d originally hoped to finish on Jolene’s birthday in November – but is well ahead of schedule and is now aiming to complete his challenge on September 29, the anniversary of her death. Hugh, who retired from teaching in December 2023, but still lives in Port Glasgow, said: "Jolene would be in her 30th year, and I've always done something special with my other kids when they reached their 30th birthdays, such as a weekend in New York or Barcelona. "I thought this was a way I could celebrate Jolene's birthday and this was my way of spending time with her and keeping her memory alive. "Jolene's lungs weren't properly developed and she had breathing difficulties. She passed away at home from respiratory failure. "But I don't want this to be a sad story. She passed away 26 years ago but I always feel she is with me. She is a part of my life. I have happy memories." Once his days as a St Stephen’s pupil were behind him, Hugh returned to the school as a teacher, first in the technical department and then as principal teacher of support for learning. He’s doing most of his sessions at Port Glasgow Swimming Pool or at the Waterfront Leisure Complex in Greenock. Having initially decided the challenge would be a purely personal one, Hugh then decided it was an ideal opportunity to raise some money for charity – specifically for the Port Glasgow Otters disabled swimming club, where Jolene was a member. "I started on Jolene's birthday on November 21 last year,” he continued, “and I have done 910,000 metres - I've 90,000 metres to go. "The million metres equals 50,000 lengths of Port Glasgow Pool, or 625 miles, and it should take me 333 hours and 750,000 strokes to do it." Hugh usually swims six days a week, sometimes three times a day, and records every session in a notebook. Donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ryan-stewart-1 Jolene's 30th year coincides with the launch of SMA testing for children. The programme began in Scotland in March, and is due to start in England next month, using blood samples taken from newborns’ routine five-day heel-prick test. Other News Energy bosses delighted to get the green light on solar farm Controversial project to build 24 homes on site where human remains were found begins £30m Port Glasgow solar farm approved - against council officers' recommendation NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde this week revealed a baby was tested at just five-days-old through Scotland's national in-service evaluation of SMA screening and, following a positive result, was rapidly referred to specialist services to begin treatment before symptoms developed. Hugh said: "I am so pleased that children are being tested for it and getting the treatment they need to stop the condition progressing." Hugh’s daughter Laura also has SMA. He said: "Laura lives with it and she's brilliant. She is very independent." Hugh is also dad to a third daughter, Kerry, and to son Ryan, and grandad to Keira, Rya-Grace and Niall, and is well supported by his partner Susan.