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What are we doing?

Myself and thirteen other orienteering novices will be walking 60 miles from St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham, London to St Mary's Church in Goring-by-Sea over the August Bank Holiday weekend. 

The team aka 'Charlotte's Sole Mates' include Chris, Jez, Toby, Sam, Nigel, Josh, Rob, George, Russ, Chris G, Dan, Mike, Chris S and Steve. 

As part of the walking challenge, which is the equivalent of over two marathons, we aim to raise awareness of breast cancer and modern day hospice care.

Why are we doing it?

Chris' story...

In April, the day after her 37th birthday, I sadly lost my wife Charlotte to Breast Cancer following a year-long battle. Charlotte was an incredibly thoughtful and loving lady who, in her last few months, wrote religiously in her journal about her wish for family and friends to keep fundraising with walks and runs. To quote Charlotte: "with money and love we will beat cancer!"...so here we are! The team include myself, Charlotte's brother Jez and twelve of her friends.  

Why St Christopher's Hospice?

We found out the week before Christmas that Charlotte's cancer had spread and her diagnosis was now terminal. The NHS has been incredible throughout our journey, especially the GP's, nurses and surgeons that all played a part in saving her life after emergency surgery. However, it simply does not have the time, or the specialist resources to manage palliative care to the level that it needs when faced with such dire circumstances. 

We were extremely fortunate to live near St Christopher's Hospice where we were referred to by our GP. This was a place that from walking through the door became our beacon of hope. Charlotte described the people that worked there as "truly amazing" and in her belief they all carried "the angel gene". Having stayed there as an inpatient for two weeks in February, the hospice staff helped Charlotte with emotional, physical and spiritual support. Even when she was discharged, we continued to visit a couple of times a week for counselling and physio and then, later in our journey, they would visit us at home. In fact, they are still supporting Charlotte's family and I now.

Without this amazing charity the last few months would have been very different. St Christopher's and its amazing staff and facilities helped Charlotte to still be Charlotte and to live as much as was possible in her last few months. This is something that her friends, family and I will forever be indebted to. 

I'm hoping that by sharing our story you will appreciate the importance of hospice care and spare a few pounds for this very special charity.

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