My story
Hello everyone!Welcome to our Just Giving donation page where we will be completing a marathon hike around the Lake district mountains. We both have a great love for Hiking especially in the Lake District, spending many weekends in a year there. We both have our own stories (which we have gone into more detail below) when it comes to cancer & especially Macmillan which is why we have decided to give this charity hike a good go. We will be pushing our limits to raise as much as we can in support of Macmillan Cancer Support, because no one should have to face cancer alone.Georgie’s Story:I am doing this hike because cancer has shaped my life in ways I never expected. When I was 15 I lost my mum and at the age of 18 my Grandma, both to cancer and both deserved so much more from life. Losing them was heartbreaking and I will never be able to explain the way in which it affects me still to this day. Macmillan was there for them in both the small and big moments as we navigated the illness and approached end of life care offering kindness, dignity, and comfort when everything felt impossible.Some of my memories are of how scared, alone and helpless it felt, but also of the strength that they both had and I feel this in parts is due to the support and guidance of Macmillan nurses and doctors. They helped my grandma and my mum feel supported, cared for, and never alone, and that meant more than anything. This hike is for them. It’s for the love I still carry, the grief that never really leaves, and the gratitude I have for a charity that stood beside me and my family through an unimaginable time. Every step I take is in memory of my mum and grandma, and everyone else that is going through the waves of this awful life changing illness. I hike in hope that Macmillan can continue to be there for other people and families facing the same. I hope that by taking on this hike, I can raise awareness of the incredible services provided by Macmillan Cancer Support and help give people hope for the future.Harris' Story:For me I will never be able to run a marathon so why not try the next best thing a hiking marathon! My first meeting with anything to do with the cancer world was when I was fairly young at 11 years old. Not really understanding how bad it was at the time, I had to watch my Grandad try and battle against the awful disease which unfortunately got the better of him in 2009. To this day I still think about him regularly and wish there was more I could do at the time. During the later stages of his life, he was taken into care by the Macmillan team so taking on a challenge like this is a small part of myself giving back to the team later on in life.More recently, my dad was diagnosed with cancer in his neck at the back end of 2024 and my mum was diagnosed with malignant melanoma cancer in 2025. Personally, I will never forget the moment that we were told the news that both my parents had cancer. I am pleased to say that after many difficult days my Dad has made a full recovery whilst being monitored continuously going forward. My mum (as of the date I am writing this 02/01/2025) has started her treatment and the early signs are that she is responding well. Although both my parents have not been directly involved with Macmillan during their treatments so far they are more than happy that we are completing this challenge for the charity and I cannot wait to get started! Today, almost 3.5 million people in the UK are living with cancer, a figure that's growing steadily. Macmillan’s goal is to be there from diagnosis through every step of the journey. That’s where we come in. Your donation, no matter the size, will help ensure that no one has to face cancer without the care, compassion, and expert support they deserve. Together, we can make a Mighty difference.
