Dr. Hearn’s Big Ride for Tiny Lives

At the end of August, Dr. Richard Hearn, Consultant Neonatologist and Head of Department at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, will cycle the 215-mile Southern Upland Way, coast to coast across Scotland to raise funds for Tiny Lives, the charity that supports premature and sick newborn babies and their families across the North East and North Cumbria.

The route is 215 miles with over 25000ft of climbing and the majority of the route is offroad. True to the spirit of the challenge, Dr. Hearn will complete the journey unsupported – carrying all his equipment, sleeping in a tent or bothies, and relying only on local shops and cafes for resupply.

“I’ve served as a Trustee for Tiny Lives for the last nine years, and as I come to the end of my time on the board, I wanted to do something special to give back, not just help the charity spend its funds, but raise some too!”

Tiny Lives is an independent charity dedicated to supporting and championing premature and sick newborn babies and their families, at the Newcastle Neonatal Service and across the North East and North Cumbria. In addition to providing emotional and financial support to families, the charity funds specialist staff roles, equipment, training, and post discharge support, all vital in delivering the highest quality neonatal care.

“Without Tiny Lives, the work we do on the unit would be significantly harder,” Dr. Hearn adds. “They make a huge difference to families during what is often the most difficult time in their lives.”

Born and raised in southwest Scotland, Dr. Hearn chose the Southern Upland Way both as a personal pilgrimage and a physical test. While the route usually takes walkers 12–16 days to complete, he’s giving himself just one week.

“I’ve always wanted to do this route, just not on foot! There will definitely be some hike-a-bike moments though. Some of those hills can’t be ridden!”

Dr. Hearn will attempt to share updates from the trail, though signal and battery life may be limited. He’s counting on Tiny Lives’ social media team to help keep supporters in the loop!

You can follow his journey and donate via https://www.justgiving.com/page/richard-hearn-1 and keep up to date on his journey by following him on Instagram via https://www.instagram.com/TL_suwchallenge2025/