In Memory of my Dad “Mr Invincible” I will be attempting to climb Mount Toubkal in Morocco.(4200 metres to the Summit in October 2026 - to give some perspective it’s more than 3 times higher than Ben Nevis the highest mountain in the UK which is 1345m)

Ten years ago, my world changed forever when I lost my dad after a devastatingly brief battle with terminal cancer. There was no time to prepare, no gentle easing into goodbye — only the shock of how quickly illness can take someone you love so deeply. Yet within that heartbreak, there was also something profoundly beautiful.

My dad was cared for by St Catherine’s Hospice, and the compassion, dignity, and humanity they showed him — and all of us — is something I will never forget. In his final days, he was surrounded by love, warmth, and the people who mattered most to him. His passing, though unbearably painful, was peaceful and filled with tenderness. For that, I will be forever grateful.

After my dad died in 2016, I struggled in ways I didn’t yet have words for. Grief fractured me. I felt lost, overwhelmed, and traumatised by how quickly everything had changed. Once again, St Catherine’s were there — not just for my dad, but for me. Through compassionate, trauma-focused counselling, they helped me slowly piece myself back together. They held space for my pain when I couldn’t hold it myself, and their support quite literally carried me through the darkest period of my life.

My mum and dad shared a deep love of walking and rambling — thousands of miles spent side by side, talking, laughing, and simply being together in nature. Those memories feel especially precious now. In 2025, our family faced yet another incredibly challenging year as my mum lives with both Alzheimer’s and cancer. Watching illness reshape someone you love, again, has been heartbreaking and exhausting, but it has also reminded me just how vital kindness, patience, and compassionate care truly are.

That is why I have decided that 2026 will be the year I honour both my mum and dad — their strength, their love of life, and their courage in the face of illness — by raising funds for a charity that sits at the very heart of our family’s story. This is my way of giving back to those who gave us so much comfort, dignity, and hope when we needed it most.

St Catherine’s hospice only receives 25% of Its funding through statutory sources (NHS) the rest has to come through fundraising. The latest statistic that 1 in 2 people will experience cancer in their lifetime means that you or one of your loved ones may just need the specialist help of St Catherine’s in the future. It’s unimaginable that without the 75% fundraiser this service would not exist.

Every step I take is for my dad.

Every step is for my mum.

And every step is for the families who will one day need the same care that carried us through.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me.