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.
Claire's Myeloma UK T-shirt (Image: Claire Reeve)
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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