My Why — Walking the South West Coast Path (630 miles)

Thirteen years ago, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer — and that moment changed my life forever as it was the start of my Nutrition journey. It was during her recovery (she survived, and we’re grateful for that every single day!) that I was first introduced to the power of nutrition, and my journey into holistic health truly began. I am now a trained Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist and I get to help people who were in the same position as my Mum.

While she was recovering, Mum also found incredible support through the counselling and complementary therapies offered at St Luke’s. Those services became a lifeline, helping her heal not just physically, but emotionally too.

A few years later, I was diagnosed with BRCA2 — the hereditary gene that increases the risk of cancer — as was my cousin Emma, who’s the same age as me. Tragically, Emma has already lost both her Mum and Dad to cancer, and two years ago she too was diagnosed with breast cancer. Once again, St Luke’s stepped in with compassion, care, and expert support — helping Emma navigate the hardest periods of her life. Thankfully, she’s now coming out the other side, stronger than ever.

Because of our shared family story, and my own BRCA2 diagnosis, I carry a deep desire to live fully and freely — to embrace every moment and adventure while I can. Walking the South West Coast Path has been a dream of mine ever since I read The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, and I’m beyond grateful to now be making that dream a reality — raising money for St Luke’s along the way, and walking in honour of two truly brave, beautiful, and inspirational women.

About the South West Coast Path

The South West Coast Path is England’s longest National Trail, stretching 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset to Poole Harbour in Dorset. It's not just a long walk — it's a formidable challenge. The path involves over 114,000 feet (35,000 meters) of ascent and descent, which is equivalent to climbing Mount Everest nearly four times.

But I won’t be walking it alone…

At this point, I have to mention something that makes this journey even more meaningful — my amazing husband, Matt is doing it with me. What makes this especially poignant (and maybe a little amusing!) is that he hates walking. Or at least… he did until recently. Slowly but surely, I think I’m winning him over!

The fact that he’s not only agreed to take on 630 miles, but also to give up his time, help fund the entire trip (we’re covering all our own costs, including accommodation and gear), and support me every step of the way — well, if that doesn’t deserve a donation, I don’t know what does!

More about St Luke's Hospice

Since 1988, St Luke’s has been providing palliative care to local people, supporting them in ways which go beyond the scope and funding of the NHS. Last year they supported over 1,000 local people with a huge range of support from end of life care on their ward to supporting carers, and from helping children cope with grief to helping patients return to work after an illness.

They are a charity and provide all their care for free, so they rely on the generosity and commitment of their supporters to raise more than 80% of their costs.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how small, it would mean the world. Your support helps St Luke’s continue to provide compassionate care and life-changing services to those facing terminal illness and their families.

Thank you for helping me walk with purpose, and for being part of this journey. 💛

You can follow our journey on my instagram and facebook pages: @traceywarrennutrition