In September 2027, Jacko, Fletch, Callum, Luke, Archie, Hen, Harv and I (Joe) will be taking on the challenge of trekking to Everest Base Camp.

Over 10 days, we'll trek around 130km, climbing from Lukla (2,860m) to Everest Base Camp (5,364m) through the Himalayas. It will be the toughest thing any of us have ever done, and we're doing it in memory of my wonderful Auntie, Debbie Price, while raising money for leiomyosarcoma (LMS) research.

Every member of the team will be paying for the entire trip ourselves. Flights, permits, accommodation, guides, equipment and every other cost will come out of our own pockets, meaning every penny donated through this page will go directly to supporting leiomyosarcoma research.

First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who so generously donated to the collection at Debbie's funeral. Your kindness and support meant more to our family than you'll ever know. And yes... apologies for asking for more money!

Anyone who knew Deb will probably be laughing at the thought of us doing this. She'd have been sending me videos of avalanches, altitude sickness and every other reason why climbing a mountain was a terrible idea. She'd have told me not to go a hundred times. But anyone who knows me also knows I'd probably have done it anyway.

Debbie was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma in 2023. Like most people, we'd never even heard of LMS before her diagnosis. As a family, we quickly realised how little information, awareness and research there was surrounding this rare and aggressive cancer. More importantly, we discovered how limited the treatment options could be.

Debbie was fortunate enough to be accepted onto a privately funded clinical trial, something that simply wouldn't exist without investment into research. Sadly, this is the reality of many rare cancers. They receive far less funding than more common cancers, meaning fewer treatment options and fewer opportunities for breakthroughs that could save lives.

Despite everything she faced, Debbie remained incredibly brave, positive and determined. She fought with unbelievable strength until she sadly passed away on 16 June 2026, aged just 56.

We're taking on this challenge to honour Debbie's memory, raise awareness of leiomyosarcoma, and support the incredible work being done to improve research, treatment and support for families facing this devastating disease.

We've set ourselves an ambitious fundraising target because we believe every pound can make a difference. If our challenge helps just one family have more options, more hope or more time with someone they love, then every mile, every blister and every climb will have been worth it.

Thank you for reading our story, for supporting us in any way you can, and for helping us keep Debbie's memory alive.