BY Daniel Harkins | September 11 | 
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Award nomination for Turnbull High School pupil after getting on his bike to fundraise
A young cyclist from Turnbull High School has been nominated for a top fundraising award after crossing the country to give back to the people who saved his life.
Patrick Kiehlmann (above) from Bishopbriggs has been shortlisted out of more than 10,000 people for the Young Fundraiser of the Year award given out by JustGiving, a website that facilitates fundraising endeavours. The 11-year-old used his October break last year to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats and in the process collected more than £5000 for Yorkhill Children’s Hospital.
Patrick came up with his cycle plan while visiting Land’s End with his family.
“He just turned around and said: ‘Dad do you think you could describe Land’s End to John O’Groats?’ And I said: ‘You’re having a laugh aren’t you?’” Patrick’s dad Mark Kiehlmann said. Mr Kiehlmann cycled with Patrick on his journey and said his son’s cycling of more than 100 miles a day was ‘not a bad effort!’
“He never faltered; he was up every morning before me saying: ‘Dad, come on lets go and get out there and get on with this journey.’
“He used the entire October school holidays with the last day the Sunday and then he was back at his desk Monday morning, 8 o’clock, sitting in a class with his school books and jotters.”
Patrick chose to fundraise for Yorkhill after witnessing the work they do helping sick children. Admitted to the hospital with appendicitis in 2012, he suffered complications leaving him in a life threatening condition.
“When I was in Yorkhill I was thinking about all the children that had to keep coming back as they had chronic problems and so could never get fully better,” he said. “I knew that I would be leaving and most likely not have to come back again.”
The youngster, who has been cycling long distances since he was 5-years-old, said he was surprised and ecstatic at getting the
Patrick was one of thousands of pupils who last year completed the Pope Francis Faith Award—introduced as a primary school version of the Caritas Award that encourage pupils to volunteer and fundraise while going on a journey of Faith.
Voting has now closed on the Young Fundraiser of the Year award and Patrick will find out if he has won at a ceremony in London on September 23.
—This story ran in full in the September 11 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.
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