Aylesbury mum raises thousands for secondary breast cancer awareness completing endurance walk

Kristina wanted to raise awareness for this less talked about form of the deadly disease.
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Aylesbury mum, Kristina Bateman, walked 87 miles in just seven days to raise awareness for secondary cancer.

Kristina was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer two years ago and has raised over £4,402 for a research charity combating the disease.

The initial target of £1,000 has been smashed already, the money raised will go to Make 2nds Count, a secondary breast cancer research charity.

Kristina and her brothersKristina and her brothers
Kristina and her brothers

Kristina explained the motivation behind the walk on her Just Giving page which can be accessed here. She said: "In December 2019 I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer which had spread to my lungs, bones and ovaries.

"We hear about breast cancer on almost a daily basis, every year around 55,000 women are diagnosed, my mum and a number of my friends included.

"However many people have never heard of secondary breast cancer even though the disease kills on average 1,000 people every single month in the UK alone.

"Secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer can be treated but not cured. Treatments aim to control and slow down the disease to enable patients to have the best quality of life for as long as possible.

Kristina marking the completion of her challengeKristina marking the completion of her challenge
Kristina marking the completion of her challenge

"My diagnosis took time to come but I was fortunate to receive it when I did as further delays to start treatment would have resulted in a very poor prognosis.

"Shortly after I was diagnosed I set myself a goal to walk the Ridgeway, Britain's oldest road, which runs from Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon. I wanted to make my body strong so it could deal with my treatment but I also wanted to try and raise some funds for Make 2nds Count, a patient and family focused charity dedicated to raising awareness and funding medical research specifically for secondary breast cancer patients.

"This charity offers amazing support to people like me who are living with cancer - it really does help to know you are not alone. I am planning to walk the full 87 miles of the Ridgeway over the course of 7 days at the end of July with my brothers Gray and Simon.

"We would be extremely grateful if you could spare a few pennies to sponsor us and raise money for this fantastic charity."

Yesterday (July 29), Kristina completed her challenge by walking the final 15 miles of her challenge. The final leg of the trip saw the Aylesbury mum, along with her brothers, trek across the Ivanhoe Beacon completing her week of walks.

People can still donate to the cause on Kristina's Just Giving page here.

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