A woman who suffers with chronic fatigue is to take on a walking challenge to raise money for the hospice which cared for her school friend
Emma Bate, 20, who has Myalagic Encephalomyelitis, is to walk the 13 miles from her home at Emersons Green, Bristol, to Children’s Hospice South West’s Charlton Farm in Wraxall.
Emma, who tires easily due to her condition, is to break down the walk into 7 sections, each taking around an hour to complete.
She has already completed two of the sections with mum Philippa and hopes to finish the last leg of the walk, ending at Charlton Farm, in September.
Emma was inspired to embark on the fundraising challenge for CHSW in memory of her schoolfriend Jack Brookes who was cared for at Charlton Farm.
Jack, who had Ewing Sarcoma, was supported by CHSW for a number of years before he died in May 2014 aged just 11-years-old.
Emma said: “Jack was just lovely.
“He was fun and bubbly and nothing ever phased him. He just got on with life and was a good friend.”
Emma has been getting in training for her walking challenge by going out for short, regular strolls with her mum.
“I am doing little but often walks,” she said.
“And we both make sure to have a good stretch out first before we get going.”
Emma is using her rollator walking aid on her walks, which she has decorated in bunting along with a special ‘Emma’s walk’ pendant cross stitched by her mum.
Initially Emma set out just to raise a couple of hundred pounds. But she has already smashed that target, already raising more than £500.
“I am blown away by how much we have raised so far,” said Emma.
It will be 10 years since Jack died this year and I wanted to do something special to remember him.
Emma has already taken part in fundraisers for the hospice - including its Santas on the Run event.
She is also planning to hold a bake sale outside her home on May 12 to bolster her fundraising total.
“The hospice was so wonderful with Jack and his family,” said Emma.
Every penny I raise will help to ensure that the services it offers continue to be available to other families in need
Emma said she will be spurred on to take every step by her friend Jack.
“I am pretty sure he would be thinking that I am mad as a box of frogs doing this challenge,” she laughed.
“But I also know that he would be there too, cheering me on and telling me to ‘keep going.”
Children's Hospice South West has been caring for children and young people with life-threatening conditions for over 30 years, providing children's hospice and professional family support services.
The charity provides care and support to families living in the South West, who have children with life-limiting conditions including specialist palliative and hospice care for the whole family, a sibling support service for brothers and sisters, emergency support, end of life care and a bereavement service. To find out more about fundraising for CHSW please visit www.chsw.org.uk/getinvolved.
Anyone who wants to support Emma can visit her JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/emma-bate-sponsoredwalk.