A Dunmow woman is walking 24 miles to Broomfield Hospital and back to raise money for her husband's little-known form of blood cancer.
Claire Reeve, 70, was inspired to take on the 'Miles for Myeloma' challenge to raise £240 for the 24,000 people in the UK living with myeloma - which includes Claire's husband, Lawrence.
Lawrence was diagnosed with myeloma in 2015, and before then the couple had never heard of the disease.
Myeloma is incurable but treatable, and cannot be targeted the way a tumour can, so Lawrence is undergoing permanent chemotherapy.
Claire said: "We are constantly grateful to all the people involved in providing this life saving treatment.
"When I had made up my mind to try to undertake this challenge I thought where better to aim for but the hospital where Lawrence receives his treatment.
"From Great Dunmow to Broomfield Hospital and back, with a couple of detours, would just about fit the bill of 24 miles.
"However, as I am no longer a ‘spring chicken’ I may well undertake the return journey on a different day, but you never know!"
Claire referred to her challenge as 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Claire Reeve' - a nod to the book and film 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry', which tells the story of a man in his 60s taking on an epic walk to visit a former colleague with cancer.
This is already a landmark year for the couple, as in addition to Claire's 70th birthday in May she and Lawrence celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in February.
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While Claire has her Myeloma UK T-shirt at the ready, she has not yet set a date for her walk, but plans to go in either November or early December, depending on the weather.
She is raising money at https://www.justgiving.com/page/claire-lawrence-reeve-1698331613194, and has already exceeded her £240 target.
Claire said: "If you are able to make a donation you will help to get a step closer to more effective treatment and hopefully, a cure for this awful disease.
"If any reader sees me on my walk please give me an encouraging wave!"
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