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My name is Jenny Lake and the photograph is of my parents. It was taken in the 1950s at the local dance hall. It’s one of my favourites because I think it reflects how much they enjoyed life. Sadly their lives were to be relatively short. Twenty eight years ago dad died. He was 66. Three years later mum died. She was also 66. I decided that if I reached 67 I should mark the occasion in some way.

I am now 66 and since I retired I’ve undertaken two charity treks; to Machu Picchu in 2012 and to the summit of Kilimanjaro in 2014. It therefore seemed fate that a trek to Everest base camp (EBC) should be setting off the day after my 67th birthday. What better way to mark the occasion.

Consequently in March 2017 I will be donning my walking boots again and setting off for EBC. We will be away for 18 days and trekking for 14 of those days, covering a distance of approximately 110km (68.4 miles) and ascending to a height of 5647m (18,527 feet). It seems to be a waste of a good walk not to raise some money for charity in the process and I have decided to raise funds for the Merlin MS Centre near St Austell in recognition of friends who have this disease.

Merlin’s mission is to be a centre of excellence in Cornwall proving a range of expert care, support and therapies for those living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions; and for their families and their carers. Conditions which can benefit from therapies at Merlin include MS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Parkinson’s, stroke and traumatic brain injury.

MS is a cruel and incurable disease which, at onset, usually affects young adults. The cause of MS has yet to be identified. Cornwall has the highest incidence of MS on mainland Britain and Merlin is the only centre of its kind serving Cornwall.

Merlin receives no government funding. The centre is financed through its own fundraising events and activities plus donations received from generous individuals, trusts and companies. Please sponsor me for this trek and help me to raise £1,000 for this good cause. £1,000 will run the minibus for a year or provide free therapy for 10 people.

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