Thank you for taking the time to visit my Just Giving page. I am a wee Scottish lassie about to embark on a big Scottish trek and hoping to raise awareness for Sarcoma Cancer every step of the way.

The Cause

After being wrongfully diagnosed with skin cancer in 2022, my amazing friend Gemma Trainer eventually learned that she was in fact fighting against Clear Cell Sarcoma - a very rare and aggressive form of cancer commonly affecting children & young people.

Unfortunately, in January of 2023, after a short but incredibly fierce battle with this awful disease, Gemma passed away at just 27 years old.

Out of every 200 people in the UK who have cancer just 3 of them will have Sarcoma cancer. Sadly, due to how rare this cancer is "it is often misdiagnosed, diagnosed late or treated incorrectly, leading to tumours growing and spreading and further reducing the few treatment options available" (Sarcoma UK).

It's likely that a GP may only ever see 1 or 2 cases of Sarcoma throughout their entire career which makes identifying this so much more difficult and for far too many people, by the time they are diagnosed with Sarcoma cancer, it is already too late for effective treatment options.

This is why it is imperative to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of Sarcoma.

The Charity

Gemma's incredible family are currently making plans to set up a charity promoting advocacy, raising awareness and researching early diagnosis and treatments for Sarcoma.

They will be collaborating with the 2 already existing Sarcoma charities run by NHS Trust professionals, especially for research. However, they will be playing the lead role in giving that crucial voice to Sarcoma patients and their families.

My challenge will be entirely self-funded and every single penny raised will be donated to this meaningful cause.

The Challenge

In April 2023 I will be trekking Scotland's mighty West Highland Way (WHW). The WHW is a 96 mile (154 km) hike spanning from Milngavie North of Glasgow right up to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands with a total elevation gain of 10,351ft. My goal is to complete this within 7 days (or less).

As Gemma was so passionate about nature and the environment, I'll be picking up any and all rubbish that I find along the way. If I reach my target, I'll up my game and go vegan for the week - those that know me well will understand that this is an entire challenge in itself.

In loving memory of Gemma Trainer.