We recently lost the patriarch to our family. 

I would like to to give you some background as to why me and my sister have decided to complete the hike on behalf of our Grandad and abit of an insight into the man that he was and what he meant to us all. 

Our Grandad was a Typical Northern man that didn't like to be fussed, he always had the time to help anyone else but found it particularly hard to let people help him. He liked to think he wasn’t very social, and would call himself a hermit crab but he touched the life’s of so many people.

This is a small snippet I wrote to my Grandad from my eulogy: 

“You’re my Grandad but at times you have been my mum, my dad and best friend. You filled every need I had emotionally, and not by always telling me what I wanted to hear but what I needed to. I wasn’t an easy kid and I gave you such a hard time, but you never gave up on me. I felt misunderstood by many growing up but never alone, because I had you. you were always there to put me in line or to give me a cheeky wink of reassurance. You truly are the meaning of family to me and you alone showed 7 year old Mina what it really means to be there for someone.

I have forever dreamed about the day I would of asked you to walk me down the aisle, the day you would of held my new born child. My children will still know you, because if I'm half the person you have taught me to be to my own children they will feel your impact through me.  You truly were a superhero to me even if in your story you was the evil genius.I don’t know the person I am without you but your traditions will always carry through me. I will and never have loved anyone the same.I am the luckiest girl alive to have you as my Grandad and role model, I will make you proud. You will be missed each and everyday for the rest of my life.

We would just like to say thank you Grandad, thank you for everything you done for us and everyone around you. Your love and guidance will carry us through to our final days. There is so much more I could say but you can’t put into words the person he was and the love we all have for him.”

Grandad loved attended the art class on a Wednesday at the Macmillan centre and hated missing it when he was too weak. When he was in hospital for his op the Macmillan nurses would come to visit him. They provided counselling for our Grandad and a safe space for him to talk about his feelings, any kind of forms he needed to complete they would always help. Any treatment we didn’t understand or ‘doctors language ’ they would gladly explain and would forever try to make us feel as comfortable as they could but most importantly my Grandad, he loved it at the centre and in the lead up to the end of his life the smiles the people brought to his face is priceless and I will forever be in Macmillan’s dept for the way they help him. 

In my Grandad's final days he decided we wanted to spend it at home with his dog, his smokes and his family. That last week has got to be the most difficult week of my inter life, having to care for Grandad but also knowing his life was coming to an end, and having to wait for the inevitable to happen. Grandad was in a way lucky, lucky to have the family he had to care for him but for someone in my Grandad's position with no family, this is where Macmillan would step in, and I can tell you to have to do the job I done for just 5 days, day in day out is astonishing, I have so much respect for any nurse. Macmillan truly are irreplaceable and the work they do is magnificent. 

When I complete the hike on behalf of my Grandad and for Macmillan I will have a huge sense of achievement and I know how proud it would make my Grandad. This hike is already helping me heal from such a huge lose in my life, so although I am doing this to raise the money Macmillan, Macmillan are still helping me, helping me focus and helping me heal.

If you have been touched by my story or have ever had any part of your life touched by Macmillan please give what you can so I can raise the money they deserve. If you have never had any crossover with Macmillan you are extremely lucky but none of us really know when we will need the help and guidance they offer to hundreds of thousands each and everyday. 

Thank you all in advance, Mina xx

(Thanks for supporting my fundraising. Macmillan Cancer Support is here to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can, providing physical, financial and emotional support. So whatever cancer throws your way, we’re right right there with you.Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs.)