I’ve been climbing mountains for years now - both mentally and physically. As a child from a big family, we’d pack up the car, bring a picnic and go for big adventures in the great outdoors.
I’ve always seen how much my parents appreciated the little things in life - and that in turn, rubbed off on me. I’ve always taken time to absorb the world, the smells, the sounds, the sights, the lovely feeling it gives me!
I’ve been fundraising for different cancer charities for almost 20 years now - since my younger brother was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We’ve done so much and between us have raised probably 50k+ which is just incredible.
We’ve ran marathons and half marathons, my dad did the iron man - twice!
We’ve walked Hadrian’s wall and hiked the Yorkshire 3 peaks. We’ve done head shaves and leg waxes and themed nights. We’ve had raffles and cake sales and had men walk miles in heels and tandem bike rides. I could go on and on!
It becomes like an addiction when you start fundraising and people want to help.
To see the money rolling in, knowing that it’s going to help find a cure or spread awareness is a wonderful feeling! But gradually that momentum dies down and you’re left feeling a bit desperate for people to show any interest. It’s hard!
So now with my latest challenge only weeks away, I thought I’d tell you all about it! I’m trekking 100km through the Scottish Highlands with complete and utter strangers in September.
We’re doing it for the incredible Coppafeel who have been such a breath of fresh air from the beginning.
Founded by Kris Hallenga, who I am filled to the brim with admiration for, Coppafeel is a bright and breezy, colourful source of info for women and men, especially younger women who have no idea about breast cancer, or how to check for changes.
I am not expecting this trek to be easy in the slightest.
There’s a lot of effort going into preparing for it and I fully expect it to be gruelling. But I’m doing this because the cause is so incredibly important to me - to empower younger women to take full responsibility for their boobs and reminding people, that when found early, breast cancer is curable.
I don’t ever want Ivy to feel even an ounce of the fear that I live with most days. I want her to be confident and strong and knowledgeable when it comes to body awareness and cancer.
I am so focussed on making my body stronger, I don’t think I’ve ever cared less about being skinny in my life, and more about being fit. I feel like there’s a responsibility to the other people hiking the trek too - all with their own stories and reasons for signing up to such a tough challenge.
We’ll be led by the lovely Giovanna Fletcher and Emma Willis which will be such a treat! Giovanna has hiked so many of these before and reading about her experiences was one of the reasons I really wanted this to be my next big fundraiser; for the experience! I’ll miss my kids so much for a whole week and worse, I know they’ll miss me more! But to tell them of my adventures when I come home and to show them that you really can do anything if you want it enough, will make me the proudest mummy on earth.
I’m so looking forward to meeting new people and finding new friendships, to seeing things I’ve never seen before and overcoming obstacles that my body once wouldn’t have dreamed of allowing. I’m anxious, of course but I just known the pride and the sense of achievement will be so utterly worth it.
A lot of you will know I am living with incurable breast cancer and I feel so absolutely desperate to raise awareness in young women who might have no idea of the importance of finding breast cancer at an early stage. It could literally mean the difference between life and death.
To imagine a future where people don't die from breast cancer would be a dream come true.
It's my wish on birthday candles, it's my wish on little eyelashes and it's my biggest wish when I look at my little girl. I just cannot bear the idea of anyone on earth going through the hell of breast cancer.
The physical pain, the chemo and especially the psychological torture it brings.
If you can spare anything to sponsor me to walk some of the highest mountains in the Scottish Highlands, It would honestly mean the world to me - and to so, so many others.
So please, if you have boobs, kids, friends or family, find a little £1.00 or £2.00 to spur me on for the biggest charity challenge I’ve taken on so far. To know that there are real humans out there who actually care about the cause, is honestly, so humbling to me. It would mean more than you could ever know.
The link is here: https://coppafeel.enthuse.com/pf/roisin-pelan
Product of the week
I was lucky enough to be given a pair of the Berghaus leather walking boots to help with my kit list for the trek and they are magnificent! Although, tight on one foot, because my feet are strange but nothing compede can’t fix!
I’ve been wearing my boots most days, and it must be said, I do feel more Trunchbull than elegant hiker with my boots, socks and leggings, it’s so important for my feet to be good enough to carry me 100km.
These are super light and don’t feel anywhere near as clumpy as my old boots, waterproof too obviously!
