Sheffield woman walks to Himalaya mountains for charity

Helen Hunter and her husband Bernie, of Stannington, Sheffield. Helen has walked 5,000 miles in a year to raise money for Cancer Research in memory of loved ones she has lost to the disease.

Helen Hunter, aged 63, has walked the equivalent distance between her Stannington home and the Himalaya mountain range in Asia.

When she set out on her fundraising mission last January, she had originally intended to walk 2,500 miles within a year to make as much money as she could for Cancer Research.

However, when she reached that target by July she decided to keep on walking, aiming to double her target distance.

Helen was supported through the walking challenge by her husband Bernie, aged 58, a retired principal at Hope Valley College.

Bernie said: “I was immensely proud, and a little emotional given the fact that a prime motivation for the challenge related to loved ones we had lost who would too have been proud had they been able to be in attendance.

“Helen’s reaction to completing the challenge was one of sense of accomplishment reflecting on both the mental and physical demands of walking the same distance as Stannington to the Himalayas. A well-earned celebratory drink followed at the very friendly local.”

Helen said that she was grateful to the people who inspired, supported and donated to make her accomplishment possible.

Bernie added: “She is enjoying a well-earned break, but is contemplating writing a book about the walk and her life experiences that inspired her walking. A cycle ride from Chesterfield to Liverpool in aid of Alzheimer’s and a walk along the Portuguese Camino are also in the planning stages.”

The former mental health nurse has raised a total of £3,170 for Cancer Research - putting her in the top three of fundraisers using the online site last year.

To complete the challenge, Helen completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge and also took in a sights from near and afar - from the Chesterfield Canal to the Schiehallion mountain in Scotland.

Helen lost her mum Mabel to cancer at age 38 in 1964, her son Davis Jon age three in 1980, dad John in 2001 and sister-in-law Susan in 2012, along with a number of friends.

Helen’s Just Giving page will be open until the end of February. It can be found at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Helen-Hunter6.