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If you’d like to take on a new challenge, visit a dream location, and support a charity close to your heart, overseas events are a great way to combine the 3.
Linda did just that by joining Team Now, our brilliant community of fundraisers, to take on Trek Nepal - a stunning trek through the Himalayas.
What’s your connection with breast cancer?
Sadly, I lost my great aunt, great grandmother, and my mum to this awful disease. My daughter and I both had it too.
Why did you decide to fundraise for Breast Cancer Now?
I was already volunteering for Breast Cancer Now, to support others like the charity supported me. After the pandemic, I heard donations had really decreased, so I wanted to fundraise too.
Why did you choose the Trek Nepal challenge?
I’d always wanted to go to Nepal, so when I heard about the challenge, I knew I had to do it. I told Olivia from the central volunteering team, and she said she’d join me, which was great.
Find out about upcoming overseas events, and how to join Team Now:
What are your top training tips?
- If you’re doing Trek Nepal, make sure to do lots of training on the step machine. The whole trek was up or down steps – we climbed over 5,500 on day 1!
- The challenge company will probably give you a training schedule which gradually builds up to make it more manageable.
- My training was mainly walking up and down big hills. I wish I'd used the step machine every other day as that would have made it easier.
What are your top fundraising tips?
- When you ask for donations, talk about your own experience and just how common breast cancer is in the UK.
- Just keep going - if one fundraising event isn’t as successful as you hoped, it’s ok, you can just plan the next one.
- We did lots of events over a long period so people didn’t need to donate a big amount in one go.
- The events team at Breast Cancer Now were full of great ideas and supported us throughout. They sent me a fundraising pack and lots of other materials I could use to promote my fundraising events.
How did you feel after completing the challenge?
Absolutely amazing! It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but the sense of achievement I felt when standing at the top of Poon Hill, watching the 4:30am sunrise, was incredible. I achieved something I thought I’d never be able to do at 60, but I did it.
What would you say to someone considering overseas charity treks in 2023?
Find somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, then go for it. It’s a great way to see something you’ve always wanted to.
People of all ages can do it, and it doesn’t matter how fit you are right now - you just need to get the training in.
If you’re interested in an overseas fundraising challenge, to support our 2050 goal, that everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live, and be supported to live well, find out about our charity hikes and cycle challenges in 2023.