On 29 August army veteran Andrew Marriott will begin a long-distance walk from the Scottish Borders to the Cenotaph in London. The 420-mile hike is in memory of all armed forces and veteran suicides, but especially those caused by the anti-malarial drug mefloquine, more commonly known by its brand name, Lariam.
Short for tablet, Tab is also military slang for a forced march. The Tab starts at West Linton (SW of Edinburgh) where former army major Cameron Quinn hanged himself in the family home. The route will take in other sites associated with Lariam deaths, and the HQ of Roche (UK), the pharmaceutical company who marketed the drug.
Covering around 20 miles per day, it should finish in Westminster on 19 September.
There is no dedicated place where military suicides are marked but a venue for contemplation and remembering does exist at the 150-acre National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The NMA cannot endorse any campaigning about Lariam, but it would be a most appropriate beneficiary from the blisters and aches of this venture. As a charity, the Arboretum relies heavily on donations and fundraising. Please think about supporting this wonderful place through this Just Giving page.
For more about Lariam, Andrew’s book, If You Wake at Midnight: The Lariam wonder drug scandal, is available through Waterstones or Amazon.
Some reviews:
“Passionate and persuasive. Harrowing to read but we dare not turn away.” The Rt Hon Sir Julian Lewis MP.
“A veritable tour de force. An indictment of the nightmarish history of mefloquine’s development.” Dr Remington Nevin, The Quinism Foundation, USA.
“Compelling. It would have been a great candidate for inclusion on the recent list of Books on Medical Treatments Gone Wrong.” Professor David Healy, MD, FRCPsych.
A review by Peter Scott-Gordon, click here.
Cameron and Jane were very dear friends, Jane is godmother to our children and Cameron had dinner with us just days before he died. How can we help and support you? We were devastated by his loss, such a waste of a wonderful man.