Last year, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, and during one of the most difficult times of my life, St Luke’s Hospice became an important part of my support network.

St Luke’s provides specialist palliative care and support to local people and their families, completely free of charge. Their care goes far beyond what many people realise, supporting patients and their loved ones through some of life's most difficult moments.

During my treatment, St Luke’s made such a difference by allowing me to have my blood tests done there before chemotherapy, making an already stressful time that little bit easier.

What makes St Luke’s so special is the people. From the lovely reception team to the nurses, wellbeing team, blood testers and even the cleaners, everyone creates such a warm, caring and supportive environment. They really are an incredible team, and I will always be grateful for the kindness and support they showed me.

So, why am I walking 50km across the Sahara Desert?🐪

One of my best friends, who is also being treated for breast cancer and is exactly a year behind me in her journey, sent me the details of this charity trek.

If I'm completely honest, it was one of those moments where I just said YES on the spur of the moment, as you do! 😂 But what a fantastic opportunity to give something back to St Luke’s and thank them for everything they did for me last year.

So, I've signed myself up to join the St Luke’s team on a 50km (30-mile) trek across the Sahara Desert over three days!

We'll be walking across sand dunes, camping under the stars, tasting local food and experiencing the traditional Berber way of life.

Now, once I'd committed, reality quickly started to sink in...

Firstly, I absolutely HATE flying, and my usual limit is around 2 hours! Secondly, I'm still living with long-term side effects from chemotherapy, which have caused nerve damage in my feet and ankles. So I quickly thought, what on earth have I signed myself up for?! 😂

I know it's going to be a challenge, but I'm determined to give it my best and raise as much money as possible for a charity that means so much to me.

St Luke’s relies heavily on the generosity of our community to continue providing its incredible care. Every donation, no matter how big or small, really does make a difference.

And if anyone fancies joining me for a training walk and a good chat over the coming months, I'd absolutely love the company! I think I'm going to need all the training I can get! 🥾

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. Any donations or shares would mean the world to me and help support the wonderful work St Luke’s does.

Lots of love,

Dawn ❤️