Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

On the 20th June I will be trekking to the summit of Kilimanjaro over the space of 7 days to raise money for Ayrshire Cancer Support.

This charity is close to my heart as I lost my father John Stephens to skin cancer when I was just four years old and my best friend lost her mum Angela Kimmett to this horrible disease two years ago.

Unfortunately,17,500 cases of melanoma are diagnosed every year in the UK, around 2,600 people will die from melanoma skin cancer each year. In 2024, the survival rate for advanced melanoma is over 50% after 10 years for patients treated with combination immunotherapy. This is a significant improvement from 15 years ago, when only 1 in 20 patients survived for five years.

Today we are lucky to have such fantastic charitys like Ayrshire Cancer support that offer a drop in centre where you can speak to a cancer support specialists to access practical and emotional support, provide services for children and young people who are affected by or bereaved from cancer, offer complementary therapies to help you relax and unwind relieving the symptoms of cancer or treatment, patient transport service, group courses and workshops to connect with others affected by, or bereaved through, cancer.

I am sure we have all been affected at some point in our life with a family member or friend who has suffered from cancer, it would mean the world to me if you could make a donation to my just giving page to give me the determination to complete this trek and donate as much as we can to this wonderful charity.

Wish me luck!

with love

Rachel ❤️