Paul Polowyj and Wayne Tomlinson are doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks in 12 Hours in June; Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon in 24 hours in July, culminating in the Mount Kilimanjaro Challenge in September (with lots and lots of training before and in between!!!)
Val was Wayne’s wife and Paul’s friend.
Andrew, Val’s son, will be doing some training with me and taking on some cycling challenges in her memory.
Val inspired countless people with her passion for life, dedication to family and friends, her talents, her sense of humour, and her commitment to generations of students.
Just weeks before Val's illness was diagnosed she fulfilled a long time ambition of taking part in ‘ Wingwalk’. She did this regardless of already experiencing some of the symptoms.
Val lived life to the full, regardless of the long and challenging treatments, serious surgery and the trial she took part in.
The last few weeks of her life were difficult. She was so unhappy when hospitalised and was determined she didn’t want to die there. The Katharine House ‘Hospice at Home’ Team ensured that she didn’t. For three weeks, three times a day and eventually overnight too, they provided wonderful care, support and empathy to Val and to the family also....and we all had so many smiles and laughs together!!!!
We couldn’t have done it on our own.
Doing this challenge is, our way of in some part, paying them back. A way of saying thank you and showing our appreciation and love to them, for what they did for us, at such a difficult time.