Kevin McKidd on his hectic summer for charity

Kevin McKidd has just had the busiest summer of his life.

Whether it was visiting sick children in Africa, fasting for charity, launching fundraising campaigns or spending every spare minute enduring the toughest physical training he can ever remember, the superstar Scot has been run off his feet.

The Elgin-born Grey’s Anatomy actor, 38, has raised thousands for the Save the Children East Africa famine appeal.

And as a father himself, he is delighted to be able to do something to help starving families suffering in the worst drought to hit the continent in almost 30 years.

He has engaged thousands of fans of his hit medical drama show to generate funds and has taken on a series of challenges for the cause.

Currently filming his fourth series of Grey’s, and making his own steps into directing, Kevin will take time out next week to compete in Tough Mudder, a Commando assault course.

He said: “I’ve been working with Save the Children for a few years now, but a couple of months ago they called me directly regarding the famine in East Africa and asked if I would use my name to help raise awareness and money for this tragedy.

“I first got involved a few years ago. I hate to name drop but Ben Stiller approached me at the time of the disaster in Haiti. He has an organisation called Stiller Strong, affiliated with Save the Children, so I helped out at a few events and I got to know the Save the Children people.

“I’ve got kids myself and I’d always wanted to do charity work so I decided to continue doing things for them.

“When they got in touch recently, I was happy to do whatever I could.

“It’s terrible, there are millions of kids affected. The famine is as bad as things were back in the Live Aid days but is less publicised, and with so much going on politically around the world, people forget about it.”

After recording TV public service announcements for the campaign, Kevin decided to do his bit directly with his own set of sacrifices.

He teamed up with fan website kevinmckiddonline.com for a series of events, starting with a 24-hour fast-a-thon last month, which he chronicled live via Twitter, raising thousands of dollars.

He posted pictures from the set of Grey’s Anatomy, including ones of co-stars like Patrick Dempsey and Jessica Capshaw, as rewards for fans reaching certain cash milestones.

That also included posing with a kilt on set after a deluge of fan requests, in return for $5000.

Kevin said: “I got my kilt out but couldn’t find my sporran, so I had to borrow one from a lighting pal from the show who is of Scottish descent.”

He has become one of the biggest stars on US television in his four years on the emotional melodrama, playing action surgeon Dr Owen Hunt, the Seattle hospital head of trauma.

After his first major success aged 23 as the tragic Tommy in Trainspotting 15 years ago, Kevin has enjoyed steady film and TV success for most of his career, with his Stateside break coming courtesy of HBO hit Rome.

But Grey’s, where he has also started directing episodes, has made him one of the biggest names in the US.

In addition to his work with Save the Children, Kevin also visited Mozambique in June to see the work being done by the charity Partners for Pediatric Progress, who are run by an LA friend, Dr Lee Martin.

Kevin visited the charity’s stations in Mozambique to see the work for himself.

“I spent a lot of time visiting schools and hospitals just outside of Maputo, and it’s amazing the work being done there under difficult circumstances and with limited funding.” With a short summer break between charity trips and filming, Kevin is now fully back into the swing of his show.

His next big charity challenge is a crazy military-style assault course in Squaw Valley, northern California, called Tough Mudder.

Designed by the Royal Marines, the event is one of the fastest growing fund-raisers in the US, and Kevin signed up with a team of pals to help boost their various charitable causes.

“It’s a mad 12-mile hike up a mountain on a course designed by the marines. It’s very hard work,” he said.

“I’m doing a session a day of mental military-style workouts so I’m pretty tired just now. The cast are even talking about getting together a Grey’s Anatomy team to do a Tough Mudder near LA next year.

“This one is really bad timing though, as it’s right in the middle of an episode I’m directing. So I’m working all week on the episode, then I fly up to Squaw Valley on Saturday and do this mental race, then fly back on the Sunday to do another week of directing. Exhausting.

“My wife Jane and the kids are coming up so they can have a laugh at their dad making a fool of himself. It’ll be hard going but very well worth it.”

● To donate to Kevin’s appeal go to www.kevinmckidd online.com, www.savethechildren.org.uk or ring 020 7012 6400. For more about Partners for Pediatric Progress charity, visit www.p4pp.org

Source: Daily Record