Great gran laps up charity walk
Published: September 24, 2007
UK — IT WAS only rainfall that stopped 90-year-old Beryl Ashe completing a second lap around Swindon’s Coate Water in aid of cancer charities.
The great-grandmother is living with pancreatic cancer and receives regular home visits from cancer nurses.
But the Park North resident was determined to complete a double lap of Coate Water covering six miles during her self-set challenge yesterday afternoon.
Owing to her illness Beryl had to use her walking frame for the walk, and after a single three-mile lap she had to abandon the plan for a second lap as rain had started to fall.
“I wanted to go the second time but it started raining, which I’m very scared of with slipping and falling because of my frame,” she said.
“The one lap took about an hour and I didn’t stop at all. “I thought I would need to rest a while and had my seat with me but I surprised myself by not stopping.
“It was a bit bumpy on my wheels and rough underfoot.
“I was nervous when I started but once I got going it was okay.
“And I feel fine now that it’s done, and I’m pleased I’ve done it.”
Beryl’s efforts have already brought in about £300 for charity and she has more sponsorship to collect - as well as generous donations coming in following the story in last Wednesday’s Adver.
The money will be split between the Prospect Foundation and Macmillan Nurses who have cared for Beryl this summer, six weeks of which she spent in hospital because of an operation.
Her strength of spirit is not only obvious in her determination to do yesterday’s walk, but is also shown in her refusal of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy because she has seen the pain it has caused to friends of hers in the past.
“God willing, I may try to do something else for the hospice,” she said. “I’ve got a limited time and when that time comes, it comes.
“I’ve have a good life and anything now is a bonus.”
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