Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. I am launching this sponsorship appeal today, 2nd March 2008, because it was on this day a few years ago that a friend of mine passed away after battling for a few years with breast cancer and its effects .

On Friday 24th October 2008, I set off for 10 days to South America to trek into the Lares region of the Peruvian Andes.  I will be pushing myself to my limits on this challenging trek on steep trails climbing to 4400m in beautiful but diverse mountainous country. Starting at Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire and the surrounding Sacred Valley, through the Andes to Aguas Calientes and onto Machu Picchu.

For those of you who know me, you will also know exactly how difficult and challenging this trek is going to be for me. Over the last few months, I have gone through a tough training programme to get me up to speed and provide me with what I hope are the necessary skills and stamina to carry out this challenge. I did the snowdonia training weekend in August. OMG! Having managed both days, one in really bad weather conditions, it has now given me confidence that I might just be able to achieve this challenge -  I also climbed to 1819m in Austria, and walked 16 miles in 7 hours all in the same month. Not to mention my regular Sunday 10-12 mile walks. Read my diary on http://sumitashahperuchallenge.blog.co.uk/. 

I feel like I have already achieved a tremendous amount by getting through the last 6 months in one piece (just about) and what a journey its been! I now have only a few days to go. But I feel better prepared! - Now I just have to get myself mentally and emotionally prepared (the thought of camping out in the mountains at -10 degrees is freaking me out - me who cant bear the cold at the best of times), but those who know me know that I am up for the challenge - so Peru here I come....

I am carrying this trek out on behalf of Breast Cancer Care. With your help I hope to raise a serious amount. So…… please please sponsor me generously (as much as you can afford). The more you sponsor me, the more I will feel your support and encouragement and the more incentive I will have to achieve this goal. You can see I am certainly going through the pain to achieve the challenge.

The best way to sponsor me is online. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Breast Cancer Care will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Sumita xx