Another target smashed! Let's get to £4000!

Gerald Santaniello, owner and operator of Pizzeria Santaniello, a Bedford-based family-run business of 40 years, is preparing to embark on a challenging journey across Spain most often referred to as the Camino de Santiago.

Originally a pilgrimage dating back to the early 9th century, the Camino de Santiago consists of a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe which join together at the tomb of St James in Santiago de Compostela, north-west Spain. Every year hundreds of thousands of people walk the same routes forged over a thousand years ago, often to raise much-needed funds for charitable causes.

At 70 years old, Gerald will be tackling the final 120-mile portion of the pilgrimage in an effort to raise money for both The Epilepsy Society and the medical research charity Brain Tumour Research following his friend, Eddie Adams’ traumatic brain tumour battle.

The walk is expected to span a total of six days, requiring Gerald to walk a mammoth 20 miles each day starting April 5, with his only respite at night at marked stages along the journey. 

As a relative newcomer to walking long distances, Gerald is currently in training, venturing around Bedfordshire in an effort to prepare himself for the challenge ahead. 

He said: “I’ve never done any walking so I’m not going straight into it. I’m doing a little bit of training, a few miles each day building up to April. I had a bad back over Christmas so only started walking in mid-January but I’m already up to five or six miles from just one or two.

“I’m going to do one big walk of 15-18 miles before I go and, once I’ve done that, I’ll know I can do it. Plus, when I’m there the adrenaline will kick in and push me along, I’m sure. I’ve got the determination and know I’ll get it done for Eddie and other brain tumour patients.”

Eddie, a passionate Brain Tumour Research campaigner who, as a drag queen, came third in the reality TV show Ru Paul’s Drag Race in 2015, was diagnosed with a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma after suffering a seizure in August 2017. He was 29 years-old and given a prognosis of three to five years.

He underwent an awake craniotomy and a subsequent surgery to remove part of his skull after he developed a life-threatening infection, which left him with a misshapen head and permanent hair loss. He went on to have radiotherapy and chemotherapy before making the difficult decision to cease treatment so that he could enjoy the time he had left.

Gerald, a father-of-four who will be joined on the Camino de Santiago by two friends, said:

“Eddie went to school with my children and his father is my best friend. I’ve seen him grow up and he’s part of my gang.

“He’s an exceptional character and so full of life, even in the situation he finds himself in he’s such fun to be with. It’s so sad to see what this illness is inflicting on him and I know there are lots of others like him around the country. I think with him and them in mind we’ll push ourselves hard.”

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.