Linda will trek to honour loved ones

Linda, from Chesterfield, will trek along the Landmannalaugar route – a 58km challenge through lava fields and glaciers to raise money for CoppaFeel, a breast cancer awareness charity.

She will be joined on the trip from August 7 to 11 by a team of walkers, CoppaFeel founder Kris Hallenga and celebrities Chloe Madeley and Vicky Pattison.

Linda was inspired to take part after losing many of her loved ones to cancer.

She said: “Cancer means different things to different people governed by whether it hits your life and the people you love. My beloved grandma Gladys died from breast cancer after a long battle.

“After recovering from that loss, my life chugged along very happily until March 2010, when my life changed forever. Both my father, Roger and my husband Darryn told me in the same week that they both had advanced bowel cancer.

“I watched these two strong men fight together to live. Throughout their battle I was bringing up our five-year-old daughter Maddison.

“Watching her struggle to understand why her dad and grandad were so sick was tough but we got on with life trying to find humour and moments to cherish. We lost dad in April 2011 after a hard battle that was terrible to be part of. Then we lost Darryn in January 2013.

“Maddison and I have since been rebuilding our lives helped by a huge support network of friends and family.

“I don’t want others to go through what we did.

“Early warning signs and detection of cancer are crucial and that is why I am so thrilled to be a part of this amazing challenge for CoppaFeel to get the message out there.

“I don’t do camping so that’s going to be a challenge in itself. But I will use Darryn’s motto – small steps along a bumpy road – as a source of strength during the trip.

“Please sponsor me to help make a difference and support this fabulous cause.”

For more information or to sponsor Linda visit: https://icelandcoppafeel.everydayhero.com/uk/linda-garnett.