# 70 miles in November 💜

**Beautiful Yorkshire vistas. Countless conversations about Life**

From 1 November, I’m fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK by walking 70 miles across the month carrying a purple ribbon and asking people to share stories about what they love about Life."

Why?

Because someone I love is doing something infinitely harder.

A beautiful and close friend of mine is 46, a mum to two teenage girls, a sister, a daughter, a much loved auntie and an all round wonderful human.

She has pancreatic cancer and watching her navigate this disease has made me reflect deeply about Life, the things we value, the things we put off, the things we don't say, the things we don't do because we might fail, get rejected, look ridiculous or wonder what other people will think.

Those fears suddenly look rather different when someone you love is facing something they didn't choose and cannot simply walk away from.

So I'm choosing some discomfort of my own.

## The Challenge **70 miles of walking across November**

**The Contender: Rachel Flower.**

**Raise as much money and awareness as I possibly can for pancreatic cancer.**

Along the walking route, there will be purple boxing gloves, ribbons, purple folding chairs and an inflatable purple sumo suit. I'll be willing to place my dignity, reputation, friendships and possibly personal wellbeing at risk in pursuit of extra ££s.

For example I'm willing to:

- attempt to raise money from gentlemen within a Leeds lap-dancing club called The Purple Door.

- walk to visit His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire as a means to reach the King.

- try to get Cynthia Erivo to sing for us.

These are side quests that can be pledged and chosen by other people. And I have made a decision to allow my family and friends some involvement which could be brilliant or it could be disastrous.

Either way, pancreatic cancer gets the money and we get to talk about Life in all its fullness, the good and the bad.

## And on 19th November…

**Thursday 19 November**.

From **5pm–8pm**, we're taking over a beautiful 1920s speakeasy space in Leeds called **The Secret Room** for a grand finale. Stories. Music. Laughter. Courage. Voice. Purple leotards. All Tickets for The Secret Room will raise money for the campaign,

## Why pancreatic cancer?

Behind the miles, the curious questions and the fun is something that isn't remotely funny.

Pancreatic cancer has landed in the middle of our family.

My friend is the reason I'm doing this, and this fundraiser is for her - and every family who has heard words they desperately wished they hadn't.

I can't change her diagnosis and I can't do the hard bits for her.

But I **can** refuse to sit quietly on the sidelines.

I can use what I have. My legs. My voice. My network. My willingness to make an idiot of myself in a purple sumo suit.

So I'm asking you to join me.

Please.

**Donate. Share. Follow along. Suggest and pledge a side quest. Come along to The Secret Room and give me a much needed hug.**

And if you see me doing something excruciatingly embarrassing during November, please remember:

**I am doing something I'm slightly afraid to do, in honour of someone doing something infinitely harder.**

And for everyone affected by pancreatic cancer.

Let's make some bloody noise. 💜