This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 28th, 2014at 3:53 pm by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

Walking 1,200 Miles to Help Teenagers Fighting Cancer

A father and son are in training for an amazing challenge that will see them walk from John O’Groats to Lands End – around 1,216 miles – in aid of a charity that enables young people battling cancer to continue with their studies in hospital.

Robert and David Noyes are busy training for the End To End Trail which will take them 61 days, walking an average of 20 miles a day, raising money for the Emma Maltby Memorial Fund.

Robert said: “We are walking from John O’Groats to Lands End, deliberately following a route that takes us away from the flat, desolate monotony of roads and naively into the wild hills and rough mountains of Blighty’s best, rugged countryside.

“The route is by no means the shortest – at 1, 200 miles. But hey, it’ll be nice to sing those Proclaimer lyrics of ‘being the man to walk 500 miles, and then walk 500 more’ with a little integrity.”

The pair were inspired to raise money for the charity after Robert met Janie Stevens, Emma Maltby’s sister and the founder of the fund, while doing the Three Peaks Challenge for the charity. Emma died aged 38 from Ewings Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer found in young adults. The charity now employs a support worker for teenagers at the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at St James Hospital, Leeds.

Robert added: “I feel very strongly about the power of education, simply because I have always had the opportunity to learn and have been taught by excellent teachers.

“I want to help others have the same opportunity I had, and to get taught by the excellent learning mentors at the charity. The work they do in helping young people with cancer continue learning while sick is quite inspirational and deserves support.”

19-year-old Robert and 51-year-old David live in Henley-On-Thames. Robert, who studies English and History at the University of Newcastle has been a Supporter at Active Nation’s White Horse Leisure Centre since he was a schoolboy. David will be taking a sabbatical from his job as an executive vice-president of a cruise company.

Robert added: “We are both very fit and active. Dad cycles a lot, plays hockey for Reading, and last year completed the Edinburgh marathon.

“All of this blows me out of the water in terms of achievement. I play football for a number of teams at the University, play hockey and boxing – though not competitively. But for the most part my main activity bases itself merely by being outside.

“I just love immersing myself in nature, going on walks with friends and climbing trees and the like. We are training by walking really, just getting our legs ready and strong, and practising our navigational skills.”

For more information about Robert and David’s challenge which starts on June 15 or to sponsor them, please visit: www.justgiving.com/Robert-Noyes

Robert has also started a blog about their adventure which can be found here – http://alightjogle2014.wordpress.com/