I’m a short, fat, dumpy gym avoider, I favour warmth over cold, I prefer a cosy bed to camping, my dog of choice is not a husky it’s a labrador, I’m very comfortable hurtling around the country in my car, the prospect of getting from one place to another is with warmth, comfort and ease it’s certainly not on the back of a sledge, being pulled by huskies and then stopping to pitch a tent. In the snowy Arctic circle. In Norway & Sweden. In March. 

Why?  Well my step sister's husband died, Charch a school friend died, a friend told me her brother died, at Charch’s memorial I met a friend of hers whose daughter had died, shortly after Charch’s memorial I met a friend of another friend whose son had died 2 years previously, a friend’s husband is recovering after a brain tumour operation, someone I recently met told me she’d had a brain tumour in her youth, a Twitter friend’s son has had a brain tumour, since announcing this challenge an author friend told me her late husband had died from a brain tumour and last month my very best friend Clare/Mme Cholet died.  It hurts to write this.  These are people I know and there are many other people whose lives have been affected by brain tumours. I read about brain tumours in the news on a regular basis and hear all too often about late diagnosis in children.

Why huskies, camping, cold? Why??? Away from my creature comforts, my family, 3G, WIFI, 4G!!! Ah ok it’s only a week but what a week it will be! I’m doing it because it's going to be a challenge, both mentally and physically.

In short it’s a bonkers idea but for a very good cause. I’ll be fundraising for The Brain Tumour Charity and in doing so will be raising awareness of the HeadSmart campaign and I’m doing it for Mme Cholet, Charch, Georgie, Tars, Sacha, Georgina, Sue, Lizzie and everyone whose lives have been devastated by brain tumours.