Coast-to-Coast walker Tom Buckley has completed his charity trek across the UK.
The 23-year-old, who has terminal cancer, walked into the North Yorkshire village of Robin Hood’s Bay on the 18th grueling day of his 192-mile journey, on the 16th December.
£50,000 target has been reached!
What an amazing feet – even under such adverse conditions, such challenging terrain and pain throughout the latter stages of the trek, Tom completed the trek that raised £50,000. A colossal feat, and one that is truly admirable.
Manchester’s Christie Hospital’s Young Oncology Unit will be more than £50,000 better off because of his dedication to thank the staff and help others.
Health Problems
Tom Buckley is a very modest young man keen to bring so much positiveness to those around him, and inspiring so many. He states:
To everyone who has donated – it is people like that proves there are still good human beings in the world. The fact that would go out of your way to help a stranger makes this challenge worthwhile. I thought that this country was lacking in togetherness and community spirit.
The news is full of depressing stories about our society. However, I have been proved wrong by everyone who has sponsored me, mostly people who don’t know me – on Day 7, a lady who was suffering from cancer herself, recognised me and pulled over on the road side (in thick snow) to donate £10 – amazing.
To Buckley is from Comberbach in Cheshire. He has overcome his numerous physical disadvantages, including having half a lung missing, a knee replacement, a tibia replacement and having sight in only one eye after childhood retinoblastoma, to reach his mammoth goal and gain the admiration of everyone who encountered and heard hos story.
Always a major challenge to walkers, the Coast-to-Coast Walk, devised by Alfred Wainwright, is incredibly difficult in December, with short daylight hours, snow, ice, fog, wind and torrential rain.
Media Buzz
Understandably, Tom has been the focus of a great deal of media buzz around this huge trek under such conditions. Nearing the end of his walk he was accompanied by various press and the anticipated lie-in had to be abandoned to take part in two early morning radio interviews and a posse of press followed his progress as he made the last few miles from High Hawsker to his final destination.
Family Support
His twin sister, father, uncle and cousin accompanied him on his final leg and he was met in Robin Hood’s Bay by his mother who helped him empty the jar of Irish Sea water which has also made the trip into the North Sea.
Final Stages
Tom said of the final stage:
I walked around the cliff and down into Robin Hoods Bay with my sister, dad, uncle, cousin and friends.
I met my mum at the beach who handed me the jar of Irish Sea water I had collected 18 days ago and I threw it into the North Sea: the end, wow!
Tom has continually thanked all those that supported him across the trek:
It is because of you that I have completed this. Had it not been for the incredible support, I would have had a rest day (at least one!) and the sense of achievement I feel now would not have been so high.
It is not too late to donate money to Tom Buckley’s nominated charity. You can do so via the Just Giving website, where he has a page.
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