On Saturday, 28 March 2026, I'm hiking 10 miles to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK because my Dad has prostate cancer.

Why am I hiking?

I'm hoping to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK as they fund research into prostate cancer, improving survival odds and treatments for all.

My Dad wants you all to know:

What's the challenge?

I'll be walking 10 miles on the Bronze route of the Three Peaks Trial, the oldest challenge walk in the UK (first held in March 1963).

The route has 610m of ascent, running from the centre of Abergavenny to the summit of Sugarloaf (596m), Mynydd Pen-y-fâl in Welsh.

My health challenges

This will be a challenge for me as a year ago, I was ambulanced to hospital with severe acute pancreatitis. It could have killed me, but it didn't.

Instead I spent 12 hours waiting in the ambulance (0/10 do not recommend breastfeeding on an ambulance gurney). My partner stood next to me, holding our baby in his arms all night while we waited for a bed to open up. I was too unwell to notice Paramedic Mouse (as we later dubbed him), the knitted mouse the ambulance crew gave my son to play with. Here he is relaxing at home on a Saturday night:

I spent 10 painful days in hospital trying to work out how to co-sleep with my baby on a hospital bed. This was no picnic at a time where I was barely well enough to shift myself over by a few inches. My partner spent four days sleeping in a chair next to us before we could get our camp bed from home.

The hospital stay wasn't all bad - my son had his first tooth come through while we were there, and he had four by the time we went home! He also finally learnt to clap, having been practicing this for several weeks. My family were very supportive and we are so grateful for their help.

My pancreatitis was effectively a pregnancy complication, despite the fact I'd already had my baby. It was caused by gallstones, which probably formed during my pregnancy due to hormones which make gallstones more likely, and enable them to grow faster.

I had malnutrition due to severe pancreatic inflammation, and lost 6.5kg in two weeks. I couldn't lift my baby for the first three weeks, and my partner had to lie him down next to me so I could breastfeed him - the only thing left that I could do for him at that stage of my illness.

Because I had significant necrosis to my pancreas, I needed surgery to remove my gallbladder to avoid future risks to my health. While I waited for my surgery, I was bedbound from March to May, and in and out of hospital. My son had become a firm favourite with the nurses, and they joked he could now be the official mascot for the ward as we were there so much.

During these months I was often in significant pain, and had limited opportunities to play with my son. I learnt games I could play while lying down in bed next to his cot - silly faces, blowing bubbles with a bubble wand, and reading stories at bedtime. I had horrible cabin fever. More than anything, I missed being out on the hills and in the mountains. Those of you who know me well know I need time in the outdoors, and especially hiking, like I need air.

After my surgery, I remember going to the supermarket for the first time in months. I was so unfit I needed to sit down and have a rest after two supermarket aisles! I have been gradually trying to recover my fitness ever since, first by walking to my local park, then by doing the food shop without sitting down, and lots of other little steps until eventually I felt my everyday fitness was fully back. Three weeks ago, I started running again.

Can I do it?

I believe I'm fit enough to complete the route, but also expect to suffer a bit for it the next day. Paramedic Mouse on the other hand is very fit and will probably find the day very easy, provided it's not too windy at the top. He has informed me we will need to find time for a cheese break and a photo op at the summit.

I'm going to keep on running over the next few weeks, in the hope this will help my performance on the day. I'm also trying for more everday fitness tasks than usual, like walking up four flights of stairs the other day when heading to work after my physio appointment. (And yes, I was out of breath afterwards!)

On the day, it'll be a push on timings as there's a five-hour cutoff time for the Bronze route. I'm planning to start early and walk steadily on the uphills (with lots of pauses to catch my breath, although I will definitely claim they are to admire the view!) and have a gentle jog on any flat and downhill sections as the day wears on.

The truth is that with a slow uphill pace, I'll probably need to jog at least some downhill sections to make the cutoff time.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. 1 in 8 men in the UK will get prostate cancer. Black men have a 1 in 4 chance of getting prostate cancer.

My dad says:

That includes men, trans women, non-binary people who were male at birth, and some intersex people.

Men, and anyone with a prostate, with a close relative who has had prostate cancer or breast cancer are at increased risk.

Prostate cancer often has no symptoms at first, but symptoms can develop later on. The NHS have a good summary here.

What can my donation achieve?

I've asked Prostate Cancer UK for some facts and figures, and I'll update the page when I get these.

Prostate Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1005541) and in Scotland (SC039332). Registered company 02653887.