“The toughest challenge.”
Beginning on May 17th, Jeff, 63, from Barnstaple, aims to cover the distance in about 60 days, camping and carrying his own kit. Hoping to clock up around 20 miles a day on average, he says it will be “the toughest challenge of my life.”
His inspiration is the loss of close family members and friends to brain tumours. In the last 10 years, Jeff’s brother David Lancaster; his colleague, the jewellery designer Kit Heath; his close friend Ian Dennis, and his wife’s cousin Julian Cartwright-Taylor — all lost their lives to glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumour which is the most common form of the disease in adults.
This cause is deeply personal to me. Four close friends and family members have died prematurely because of this glioblastoma brain tumour. I wanted a challenge to test me physically and mentally, one that really reflects the scale of their loss and the brutality of their illness.”
Jeff
Going it alone
Jeff’s walk will see him clock up around 40,000 steps each day, burning through roughly 4,000 calories per day for two months. Although he will be joined by friends and family members for some stretches of his journey, much of Jeff’s walk will be done on his own, something he says he’s looking forward to: “Walking alone will be challenging and quite uplifting – a time to reflect on why I’m doing it and who I am doing it for. Yet I won’t be alone for long as I’ve been quite overwhelmed by the number of friends offering to support me by walking an hour or so with me and hopefully buying me lunch or dinner! This will mean a lot, giving me something to look forward to most days and lifting me through the tougher days.”
’I’m most looking forward to the sense of purpose that comes from being on a journey each day, planning my route, testing myself, meeting and engaging with extraordinary strangers along the way and knowing I’m doing something meaningful for a cause that’s very personal to me.
Jeff
“Less enjoyable will be the tough days when my fatigue builds up, the legs are heavy, I’ve maybe slept badly and the weather is against me and I’m out there, on my own, just trying to put one foot in front of the other. There will be moments when all of that, the exhaustion, the cold, the rain, collides at once, and your morale plummets. Those are the moments that will test me the most, yet it will be those tough moments that will define this challenge.”
One step at a time
Jeff has prepared well over several months, and feels ready to cope with whatever adversity he encounters on his long walk north. He said: “When it gets tough, and it will, I’ll simply think about why I’m doing this and the people it’s for. In truth, any pain I may feel will be quite insignificant compared with what someone living with a brain tumour endures, and what their family suffer. The average survival for glioblastoma is just 12 to 18 months. That context makes sore feet and tired legs feel very manageable. Failure to complete this challenge is not an option for me and if it takes longer than planned, so be it.”
Fundraising is going brilliantly, with Jeff making good progress towards his £25,000 target.
Jeff said: “Glioblastoma is a ruthless killer that cuts lives short and leaves families broken-hearted and bereft. This challenge is my way of raising awareness and funds in the memory of those I have lost, and doing something meaningful to support those that are currently and those that will be affected by this condition.”
Take on a fundraising challenge
If you’re inspired by Jeff and want to take on a fundraising challenge of your own, there are so many ways to get involved. Click the button below to find out more!