An 85-year-old gran who lost all her adult children in their 40s is cycling around Scotland in their memory - and raised nearly £55,000 for charity.<br /><br />Gran-of-three Mavis Paterson set off on April 29 and hopes to finish on May 29.<br /><br />She uses cycling as a distraction from the loss of her three adult children.<br /><br />Mavis celebrated her 85th birthday with a party in Moffat, Scottish Borders, on May 24 before persevering on her trek.<br /><br />Wild weather proved a major challenge and on May 4 in Ballahulish, near GlenCoe, Highlands, she was nearly blown over.<br /><br />Generous donors have raised £54,349 for Macmillan Cancer Support, although none of Mavis' children died from the disease.<br /><br />Her son Sandy died of a heart attack aged 43, Katie died from viral pneumonia aged 49, and Bob died aged 47 in an accident.<br /><br />Mavis, from Auchenmalg, Dumfries and Galloway, is close to her grandchildren and has a big support network of friends.<br /><br />She said losing a child is an unrecoverable form of loss.<br /><br />Mavis said: "I start cycling at 9am and finish at 5pm.<br /><br />"When I was training the weather was horrible but I had to just get out and do it.<br /><br />"It's just beautiful and the people are so nice.<br /><br />"I've got no surviving children, they were all taken and left me.<br /><br />"I've had to cope with it and cycling has helped.<br /><br />"I remember saying to Katie 'imagine losing a child' - that's happened to me now.<br /><br />"Before Bob died I thought 'we'll have each other'.<br /><br />"I'll never get over what's happened to me.<br /><br />"I'm raising money for Macmillan as my sister and mum both had cancer.<br /><br />"I've got wonderful grandchildren and wonderful friends.<br /><br />"It's cruel all that's happened to me.<br /><br />"My cycling helps, I can't go on living thinking and thinking about my children.<br /><br />"I get on my bike.<br /><br />"When I'm talking to people it's like therapy.<br /><br />"The worst thing as a parent is losing a child.<br /><br />"You can get over the death of your husband, or your mother and father, but losing a child lives with you forever."<br /><br />In 1991 Mavis got into cycling after years of running marathons, when her knees became a bit dodgy.<br /><br />She has also cycled across America and Canada wild camping.<br /><br />Mavis said: "I must thank all my supporters, it's been amazing."<br /><br />To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/grannymave1000
