"What if I can never walk again?" - cancer survivor takes on epic Saharan adventure with loyal group of friends
When at her lowest point, walking helped Katherine Reed with her recovery from ovarian cancer.
It has always been a passion of the 47-year-old’s from Widley but its importance came to light when she feared she would never be able to walk again. Now, three years in remission, she is embarking on an epic challenge across the Sahara desert with her sister and a group of loyal friends who helped her get back on her feet.
It all started with a standard check-up when doctors saw something that concerned them. An MRI then revealed the news that Katherine did not want to hear.
She said: “I was lucky as it got caught early but I had ovarian cancer. I ended up having a full abdominal hysterectomy and had everything removed including my ovaries, uterus and womb. There was a chance I was going to have to have radiotherapy and chemotherapy but luckily they got it all out contained.
“When I was laid up poorly, there were times when you would get into your own head and wonder is it going to get worse, am I going to die, I need to be around for my kids. Walking is a passion of mine so I had a whole thing in my head where I was wondering what if I can never walk again, what if I never get out.
“I just thought I am going to walk as much as I can and do as much as I can to make the most of everything.”
Walking played a big role in Katherine’s recovery, she noticed the difference it made to her mental health even if she was just able to take a few steps out into her garden. As her strength grew, her friends stepped in to help get her out of the house and join her on walks, even if it was not their usual leisure activity of choice.
She said: “My friends have been amazing, and without even realising what they were doing. I would just say crazy things like lets walk Portsea Island which is no mean feat, it’s something like 17 miles. It’s not easy if you are not into walking and at first it hurt us a few times but we just said yeah lets get out.
“They were totally up for helping me and just got on with it and now it has become a thing. We have become a group and are challenging each other. It has happened quite organically.”
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The challenge in the Sahara is the third fundraising event that Katherine has taken part in since recovering, having walked a marathon in London and climbed Mount Snowdon. The five friends will be heading to the desert in October with the trek taking three days to complete.
It is a challenge they are relishing, with the thought of camel spiders and scorpions the only cause for concern, as they raise money for Aggies, a charity close to their hearts. All five of them taking part are affiliated to the military, with Katherine’s husband serving in the Royal Navy for 25 years, and have seen the great work that Aggie’s does to support service members and their families.
As well as taking on the challenge due to her passion for walking, Katherine is hoping that it will help people going through a similar situation that she faced.
She said: “I realised that this could be a really strong message to send out and to give back to help other people in similar situations. That is why this charity is so important to us, we are all military and we know what it means when our partners are away and how much we struggle.”
Katherine, alongside her sister Kelly Bessey and friends James Stack, Claire Archbold and Sabrina Taylor have set up GoFundMe pages to raise money for the charity with each needing to raise £2,000 to embark on the epic adventure. To support them click on their names to visit their fundraising pages to find out more.
A spokesperson for Aggie’s said: “We are immensely grateful to Katherine Reed and to every single one of our trekkers for their commitment and generosity. Taking on the Saharan Trek — the first challenge of its kind as part of our 150th anniversary celebrations — is no small undertaking, and their determination truly reflects the spirit of our Naval Family.
“Fundraising initiatives such as this are vital. They enable Aggie’s to continue supporting personnel serving in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and the families who stand beside them, ensuring we can be there with practical, pastoral and emotional support whenever it is needed most.”