We’ve helped promote a number of charitable events and challenges lately, including the UK Everest Challenge and the competitor raising money for charity by running the Marathon des Sables…but when I heard about the following story in my local news I was particularly overwhelmed.
Coast 2 Coast Walk
Tom Buckley is 23 years old, and is walking the coast to coast route after being diagnosed with terminal cancer of the brain. Doctors believe he has just months to live.
His route from St Bee’s Head, Mirehouse on the West Coast, to Robin’s Hood Bay, Yorkshire, will take approximately 2 weeks or more to cover the 180 miles in some of the worst weather we have seen in a very long time…and all to raise money for The Christies, a specialist hospital in Manchester focusing on the diagnosis, treatment, research and education around cancer.
It’s been bitterly cold and bleak, especially at night, and there hasn’t been a single day when I’ve not contemplated giving up.
But then I think of all my friends at The Christie and the amazing people who keep donating money because I’m doing this walk. That drives me on.
Motivation to keeping on walking and overcome pain
Tom is finding the walk painful after ops to remove muscles, part of his lung and a knee and leg bone replacement.
Tom said:
My ankles and heels are starting to go now. I have pulled a tendon and the general wear and tear on my legs and feet is painful. I’m looking forward to putting my feet up when I finish on Tuesday.
It’s really remarkable, but he’s now approaching the finish line…
Just a few more peaks to go!
Tom embarked on the trek on 29th November with the aim to finish over in Robins Hood Bay, Yorkshire over the next few days. Now just think of what weather he has had to face lately, with temperatures dropping to -10C and snow blizzards across the lake District – it’s completely outstanding what he’s doing.
He is battered and bruised, after hiking through almost impassable snow in the Lake District for the first 14 days of his mission, and now is approaching the final leg of his trek.
Tom states why he is doing this:
I know that I have less than a year to live and so I want to try and push myself as much as I can. I feel that this Coast2Coast Walk will give me something to focus on and something to live for. So I am doing this event for myself as much as the hospital, but if I can make money as I do it, then that would be brilliant.
Sponsor Tom’s Efforts and the Charities he is supporting
If you would like to sponsor Tom’s efforts, you can do so here, at Just Giving. Or maybe you feel inspired to follow in the foot-steps of Tom and try and help a charity of choosing? If that’s the case here’s the route that Tom has taken to give you a little food for thought:
DAY 1 29th November 11am – ST BEES HEAD – MIREHOUSE 5.32 Miles
DAY 2 30th November 9am – MIREHOUSE – ENNERDALE BRIDGE 10.2 Miles
DAY 3 1st December 9am – ENNERDALE BRIDGE – HONISTER PASS 10.1 Miles
DAY 4 2nd December 9am – HONISTER PASS – GRASSMERE 9.38 Miles
DAY 5 3rd December 9am – GRASSMERE – PATTERDALE 7.25 Miles
DAY 6 4th December 9am – PATTERDALE – BURNBANKS 10.8 Miles
DAY 7 5th December 9am – BURNBANKS – ORTON 11.0 Miles
DAY 8 6th December 9am – ORTON – KIRBY STEPHEN 12.9 Miles
DAY 9 7th December 9am – KIRBY STEPHEN – WAIN WATH FORCE 10.7 Miles
DAY 10 8th December 9am – WAIN WATH FORCE – REETH 11.5 Miles
DAY 11 9th December 9am – REETH – RICHMOND 9.84 Miles
DAY 12 10th December 9am – RICHMOND – GREAT LANGTON 10.8 Miles
DAY 13 11th December 9am – GREAT LANGTON – INGLEBY CROSS 11.7 Miles
DAY 14 12th December 9am – INGLEBY CROSS – CLAY BANK (B1257) 11.2 Miles
DAY 15 13th December 9am – CLAY BANK – ROSDALE HEAD 9.92 Miles
DAY 16 14th December 9am – ROSDALE HEAD – EGTON BRIDGE 9.92 Miles
DAY 17 15th December 9am – EGTON BRIDGE – RIG FARM 11.3 Miles
DAY 18 16th December 9am – RIG FARM – ROBIN HOOD’S BAY 5.36 Miles
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