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From the Dover Express, 25 May 2017. By Ben Ashton.
Fab four are halfway there on a 250-mile Pilgrims trek.
FOUR trekkers are more than halfway through a 250-mile walk across Kent
in aid of charity The group of friends - Donna French, Teresa Sanders,
James Aylott and Simon McKay - started their 14-day journey in Rochester
on Sunday, May 14, and are scheduled to finish in Smarden, where they
all live, this Saturday.
The foursome take a rest mid-walk Smarden.
They are hoping to raise £25,000 for Pilgrims Hospices and The Friends
of the Wisdom Hospice by making their way across the county’s footpaths
on a mission as part of “Walk the Walk Kent”.
En route.
So far, they have passed through the Isle of Sheppey, Sittingbourne and
Herne Bay - and at present they are en route to Ramsgate before they
head to Ashford, and then finally Smarden.
The walkers all met at their local pub, The Bell in Smarden, where
they realised they had each had heartbreaking experiences with cancer,
which is how the idea originated of giving back to the hospices and
staff that supported them and their loved ones.
After having cancer diagnosed in 2013 Donna’s mother-in-law received
care at Pilgrims Hospices, where she died.
Her father then had the disease diagnosed in April 2015 and, just
three months later, he was admitted to Pilgrims, where he spent six days
before he died.
She said: “Money raised will help patients and their families get
through the most difficult of times, as well as the running costs of
Pilgrims and Wisdom Hospice, enabling the charities to continue to
support adults across Medway, Swale, Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford who
need end-of-life care.”
Teresa suffered similar heartbreak in December 2016 when her aunt
died of cancer after being taken into the “amazing” care of Wisdom
Hospice.
She said the help they received made her “appreciate” how lucky they
are to have these places to turn to.
She said: “People expect to lose loved ones when they are admitted
into a hospice, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
“For me, I am doing this walk because I am in awe of what these
hospices do and the support they provide to people who have nowhere else
to turn.
“One day I hope I can join them and help out at Pilgrims Hospice but
I wanted to do this in memory of my aunt first.”
Fellow walker James said: “There’s a time for talking and a time for
walking. It’s our turn to take action, time to get off our backsides and
show some appreciation for the selfless staff that support our loved
ones, when we no longer can.”
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