Heart campaign's offer to Badenoch shinty clubs after tragic sudden death
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The death of rising young Kingussie shinty star Calum MacKintosh has left the sport and local community stunned, with tributes pouring in for the popular youngster.
The 19-year-old died suddenly on Saturday from a suspected cardiac event in Edinburgh whilst with two fellow Red and Blues team-mates who also study in the capital.
Calum was Dux of Grantown Grammar School in 2021 and was in his second year of a law course at Napier University in the city.
The tragedy holds echoes for another Badenoch family who for seven years now have been campaigning for better heart-screening to be made available in the strath – especially for youngsters.
The campaign, sparked by the sudden death of 23-year-old Morgan Evans in Aviemore in 2016, now wants to fund a special unit to check out all younger players at both Kingussie and Newtonmore shinty clubs.
Morgan’s sister, Angharad, told the Strathy: “CRY, the cardiac risk in the young charity, helped us understand and offered free support and advice. There is still a lot of money in Morgan’s ring-fenced account for unit visits in the area and this is something we are happy to release to let the shinty club test all players.
“We understand more than most the shock and devastation left in that poor boy’s wake.”
The Strathy has passed on the offer to the Dell club who said they would be considering the issue in due course.
However, naturally their immediate thoughts and concerns lie entirely with Calum’s family.
Kingussie Camanachd Club paid its own special tribute to the young star at the weekend.
