My dad, Gordon H Kee, was a force of nature. “Work hard, play hard”, was his motto and he really lived life to the full - until he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus at the age of just 51.

His story is all too common - he dismissed his symptoms as heartburn or indigestion for weeks or even months. Eventually he did see a doctor about his difficulty swallowing, and shortly afterwards he underwent an aggressive surgery to remove part of his oesophagus. The recovery was brutal - sleeping and eating were all but impossible, but he did fight on for another couple of years, during which time he helped to form the charity OCHRE with some colleagues and clinicians he’d met on his patient journey.

Twenty years on, and OCHRE is still working hard to fund research to support early diagnosis, promoting awareness of oesophageal cancer, and campaigning to get this less survivable cancer prioritised by politicians.

I am undertaking this incredible challenge to raise funds for OCHRE to help them continue their important work. I will be trekking along part of the Great Wall of China for 5 consecutive days in May 2025, over watchtowers, mountains and through historic battlement stations, with thousands of steps to climb up and down along the way. On some of the more rough and rugged sections there are times I will be required to use my hands and feet to climb - this will not be a walk in the park!

My dad died in May 2002 and I miss him every day. I hope with your help I can raise meaningful funds to help carry on what he started, and make a real change in outcomes for oesophageal cancer patients.