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Boy's football ground challenge for 'heart of gold' mum

News imagePA Media Three men hold a banner which says Jacob's Ground Journeys, 42 stadiums, one mission. A 10-year-old boy wearing a baseball cap holds up a football trophy in the foreground. PA Media
Jacob and his dad Kenny (L) will travel more than 6,000 miles on the challenge

A 10-year-old Dundee boy is completing ten laps of every professional football pitch in Scotland in memory of his late mother.

Jacob McDonald is walking around the 42 grounds to raise money and awareness in honour of his mum Vivienne, who died of a rare lung disease aged 32, when Jacob was 18-months-old.

Jacob's Ground Journeys will see him and his father Kenny travel more than 6,000 miles (9,656km) from Ross County to Stranraer with all the stops in between.

The duo have completed 18 football grounds so far, including Celtic, Rangers, and St Mirren.

Kenny said Jacob was excited at the prospect of the challenge.

He told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast: "He likes to be adventurous, looking at different places, and being a typical 10-year-old boy as well, he loves the attention.

"It's just been phenomenal."

Jacob became an ambassador for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust when he was seven.

The condition is incurable and is progressive, and the general prognosis is between three and five years.

His ground journey challenge has raised about £6,500 so far.

News imagePA Media A woman with light brown hair and glasses, with a breathing tube, holds a babyPA Media
Jacob's mum Vivienne died when he was 18-months-old

Jacob said: "It's been so much fun so far.

"Some of the pitches are massive and my legs get really tired, but I just think about my mum and keep going.

"My favourite ground so far was East Kilbride because everyone was so supportive. Dad jokes I walk faster than him now."

Jacob has met players including Dundee's Simon Murray and former Celtic player Charlie Mulgrew and the Edinburgh City players applauded him on his final lap, which Kenny said was "a lovely touch."

Kenny said clubs and businesses across the country had been "incredibly generous".

Jacob has sensory issues, finding bright light and noise difficult to be around, and wears ear defenders, with Kenny accompanying him at all times.

News imagePA Media Three men and a young boy stand at the tunnel of a football ground with supporters in the backgroundPA Media
Jacob has visited Inverness Caledonian Thistle's ground as part of the challenge

Kenny said Vivienne, who was diagnosed with the disease when she was 28, had a "heart of gold".

He said Vivienne became pregnant despite being told she could never have children.

"It was quite difficult, knowing Vivienne was going to pass and I was going to be left with Jacob," he said.

"And to be fair, the whole time that Vivienne was carrying Jacob we never spoke about her mortality.

"We just got on with it, she was happy, I was happy."

Kenny said that after Vivienne's funeral he had been sorting her belongings.

He said: "Unbeknownst to me, she'd left all these letters for myself and Jacob around the house that she knew we would find, for us to read.

"She's written letters for Jacob's milestones for his 16th, 18th, his 21st birthday.

"Other letters he's got, I'm going to wait until he starts high school, then I'm going to let him open them and have a proper read, so he understands more."