AN inspirational mum who overcame cancer last year has trekked in the Himalayas to raise thousands of pounds for the centre which treated her.
Rebecca van der Arend, 40, of Dringhouses, York, has recently returned from a gruelling five-day trek in the Himalayan foothills, in northern India.
She decided to raise money for the Yorkshire Cancer Centre at St James’s Hospital in Leeds after seeing adverts for a sponsored trek while recuperating from treatment for ovarian cancer.
Rebecca said: “It was something to focus on. I have wanted to do something like this for a long time and being ill made me really determined to do it.
“It was very, very hard – it felt like climbing Ben Nevis every day. I was blown away by breathtaking scenery, friendly locals, being on a campsite on top of the world and enjoying the company of a brilliant group of fellow trekkers. After recovering from cancer, it was certainly a very special and unforgettable experience.”
The Yorkshire Cancer Centre’s team of 20 trekkers climbed up rocky terrain to reach a glacier near Dharamsala at 3,200 metres. The team has so far raised £70,500 for cancer patients.
The money raised will be spent on equipment and research at the centre, which treats more that 1,500 patients a day from across Yorkshire.
Julie Patmore, who organised the trip on behalf of Yorkshire Cancer Centre said: “The group has faced many challenges – not just trekking for five days, but also the long journey to get there including a chaotic overnight train, unseasonal hot weather – up to 37C, and spicy curries up to three times a day.
“They have been a fantastic team though, taking everything in their stride, supporting each other when the going got tough and sharing the exhilaration of reaching their goal.”
Rebecca, a student support worker at York College, was diagnosed with cancer in March last year and following a number of operations she was given the all-clear by doctors in June.
She said she was encouraged to take part in the trek by her husband Alex.
Donations to Rebecca’s trek can still be made at www.justgiving.com/Rebecca-Trek-India
To find out more about the fundraising and to join a challenge, phone Julie on 07803 037 439 email julie@xceedevents.co.uk or phone the Yorkshire Cancer Centre fundraising office on 0113 2068444.
What a recovery
Last year, Rebecca van der Arend was battling against cancer; this year, having beaten the disease, she decided to go on a fund-raising mission and help repay the hospital that gave her back her life.
But she didn’t go for an easy option. Rebecca spent five days trekking the Himalayas. That would be gruelling enough for anyone, but Rebecca also had to endure unseasonably warm weather – and even hotter curries.
She says it felt like climbing Ben Nevis every day. When you consider that she was lying in a hospital bed only 12 months ago, this woman deserves everyone’s praise.
She certainly gets ours.
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