My story

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page you can find more about the walk etc by visiting www.return2romance.co.uk

Hi I'm Nigel Hearnden and in January 2008 I began a series of walks and other events to raise monies for charities supported by my late wife, Anne.

The aim is to raise monies for 4 charities that Anne supported and the project is called "Return to ROMANCE", which stands for Return to ROMe for ANne and CharitiEs.

 The beneficiaries of my fundraising will be Action Aid, two local charities; Harbour Cancer Support Centre based in Gosport and the Friends of Oncology and Radiotherapy Cancer Charity (FORT) based at St Mary’s Hospital Portsmouth who support sufferers and their families across Southern and Eastern Hampshire and West Sussex. The fourth is organised by the Catholic Church in Gosport, which is twinned with the parish of Mbetta in Cameroon and raises funds for education, health as well as pastoral projects in the area.

Each charity will receive an equal share of all monies raised.

The first walk which took 110 days started at the end of January 2008 and covered a distance of 1305 miles from my home in Gosport to Rome. There were a couple of unforgettable surprises waiting for me in Rome. The British Ambassador to the Holy See invited me tea at his residence and I was granted an audience with His Holiness the Pope. Neither of these were expected nor was the media interest around the world - stories of the walk appeared in press from the US to Vietnam and the Daily Mirror ran a feature on the story in July 2008. BBC Radio South, ITV Meridian and local press have also widely covered the project.

The walk was followed by other events including a charity golf day and auction, during which I found myself becoming an auction lot and working in a salon for a day and raising over £300 by doing head massages.
  
Early June 2009 will see me visiting Australia to do some fundraising in Melbourne and on to Sydney to do the Bridge climb - a real challenge when you do not have a head for heights. In  September 2009, I will be hosting another charity golf day at the Lee on Solent Golf Club ( please visit www.return2romance.co.uk for details) as well as a series of wine tasting and quiz evenings.

In 2010, I will be undertaking a 400 mile walk from my home in Gosport to Seaham Harbour in the North East of England where my wife grew up. We are also planning a variety evening.

I am also writing a book about Anne's four year battle with various cancers and the walk. A large event to formally end the fundraising project ib being planned for March 2010 and details of all the 2009 events will be available on the web site.

About Anne

Anne was born in Easington in 1957, grew up in Seaham Harbour and was educated in Seaham and Sunderland before joining the Royal Navy as a nurse in 1975.

Anne was first diagnosed with cancer in August 2001 and over the next four years, suffered from three different types: Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bowel cancer and liver cancer (twice). During that period, Anne underwent chemotherapy via peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines) for over 20 months and had three major operations until she was in remission from the Hodgkin’s, clear of bowel cancer, had recovered from her latest liver surgery and had been given the all clear by her surgeon, much to mine and her family’s relief.

Having fully recovered, she commenced a precautionary course of chemotherapy in early November 2005 to eradicate any rogue cells that may have remained. Unfortunately, on 23 November Anne developed what appeared to be flu, hospital tests did not reveal anything suspicious and she appeared to be recovering. Her sudden and unexpected death on the 26 November 2005 aged 48 turned out to be due to a rapidly developed infection in her heart.

Anne was a qualified midwife and nurse and from day one she never complained or wanted to hide away and was determined to win her battles. Whenever able, she carried on working as a midwife in Southampton and Portsmouth and later as a nurse in the radiology department at the Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport. Her experience as a nurse and cancer sufferer enabled her to support others who were starting treatment by giving advice when having intravenous lines fitted in the radiology department and also on the oncology ward when starting their chemotherapy, often while she was having her own treatment.

Anne and I were due to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in Rome in March 2006 and she would have celebrated her 50th birthday in June 2007. This sponsored walk is to honour that plan and to celebrate a life taken suddenly but also importantly to acknowledge many of the people / charities that Anne supported or which supported us through Anne’s time of need.

If you would like to join me in walking some of the route and are happy to obtain sponsorship, require information about the golf event, want to provide non-financial support or just want general information about the walk etc, please e mail me at Ret2rom@aol.com


Once all monies have been collected, FORT will ensure that each of the four charities included in this fundraising project receive 25% of the monies.

Please donate generously.

Many thanks for your support.

Please keep the sponsorship rolling in.

Nigel

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to donate: FORT Cancer Charity will receive your money electronically and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in Gift Aid will be added to your donation at no cost to you.

My gallery 10

My Teams

My company

My charity

FORT Cancer Charity

FORT Cancer Charity

Charity Registration No. 1107417

FORT Cancer Charity is dedicated to supporting those within our community whose lives have been touched by cancer.

Donations 67

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Well done Nigel, you have come so far! Looking foward to the concert sunday. God luck in your future.

Donation by viki flockton on 24/03/10

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Was interested in yr story as thought I worked with Anne at Centurion in early 90's. Obviously different lady, but still important cause! Good luck!

Donation by Helen, Gosport on 29/05/09

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Hoping that it is not too windy on the bridge!!

Donation by Jane Kirwan on 20/05/09

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

A little to give for such a wonderful person. Well done!

Donation by Denise and Boys on 19/10/08

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Best wishes from Gosport Salvation Army Corps.

Donation by Darren Hiagh & Ev West on 24/07/08

£15.00

+ £4.23 Gift Aid

Wow, I just read you feature in The Mirror incrediable achievement!

Donation by Toni Mcleod on 11/07/08

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Saw you last night at the Kings Theatre, fantastic achievement so far, keep it up and best wishes

Donation by Anon on 11/07/08

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

What an incredible journey and an amazing achievement !

Donation by Mike Norton on 09/07/08

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Bravo!

Donation by Jim Brady on 25/05/08

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

What a legend ! You've achieved something few of us have the opportunity or the downright determination to do. That was some adventure. Nick W.

Donation by Nick W on 20/05/08

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Well done Nigel, what an achievement.

Donation by Joanne Allen on 15/05/08

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Thinking of you. What a wonderful achievement!

Donation by megwolff@LJ on 12/05/08

£25.00

Donation by Grace Ritchey on 11/05/08

£15.00

I have received 255 euros from people in France and Italy in the 3 months I have been doing the walk. I have used the exchange rate as at 02.05.08.

Donation by Nigel Hearnden on 03/05/08

£205.00

In memory of my sister-in-law Anne. Wonderful thing you are doing Nigel - good luck. Everything I said was true. Jeanette (Space Hopper)

Donation by Jeanette Goodman on 17/04/08

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

What a star! Anne would be very proud.

Donation by Nuala Laverty on 08/04/08

£25.00

+ £7.05 Gift Aid

Brilliant effort Nigel, we are with you in spirit.

Donation by Friends of Le Bellerive Hotel on 07/04/08

£95.00

A wonderful way to remember your wife. Wishing you all the luck in the world for your walk.

Donation by Blue soup on 28/03/08

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck on your travels. I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my mum to cancer.

Donation by Nine on 27/03/08

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

I came across your cause on Livejournal. You are truly inspiring! I got chills reading your words. B

Donation by Toni on 27/03/08

£5.00

I applaud you! Reading your journal as well.

Donation by Emily Bloch on 27/03/08

£10.00

Have heard you speak on Radio Solent and admire your motives. May the Lord walk with you and the wind be ever at your back.

Donation by stella on 24/03/08

£5.00

God Bless and Good Luck. You are doing a wonderful thing.

Donation by Amstel on 20/03/08

£10.00

Best of luck in your efforts - what you are doing is truly inspiring

Donation by Anon on 19/03/08

£100.00

I came across your LiveJournal - all the best of luck and God bless. :)

Donation by Sarah on 18/03/08

£5.00

Donation summary

  • * Online donations£1,812.00
  • Offline donations£23,257.00
  • Text donations£0.00
  • Total raised£25,069.00
  • Gift Aid£297.56

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