This May, 24-year-old Sophie from Leeds is taking on what will be an emotional mountain climb of Ben Nevis in memory of her beloved Nan, Patricia.
Ahead of Mother’s Day this week, Sophie shares her reasons for taking on this climb of the highest mountain in Scotland, in honour of her dear Nan.
“My nan, Patricia Ann Wainman, was an incredible and inspirational woman. So strong, loving, and caring… the loss of her has affected and impacted so many people’s lives.
I lived with my nan since I was a toddler, so she was my closest family. She had a love of chocolate – especially getting it everywhere! Her love for coffee and cream teas was another thing people remember her for. Overall, the world is not the same without her.
It was always my nan and me. I lived with her all my life – she was my everything. She taught me such wisdom, knowledge, and life morals which I live by every day, and will always be a piece of me forever.
Not having her here anymore is so difficult; things I see that remind me of her, I wish I could tell her. One of Nan’s wishes was for us to climb Ben Nevis in her memory… and so we shall.
My nan climbed Ben Nevis with her husband and two daughters, Jill and Sally-Ann, when she was younger. We then climbed Ben Nevis together when I was a teenager, around 30 years after her first climb.
When we last climbed, it was a challenge then, however we weren’t as prepared as I will be this time around. It means a great deal to me and my family that this a success. An emotional journey to take but will be so worth it in the end.”
Why I’m fundraising
“Prior to my nan’s diagnosis, we had little information about lung cancer. My nan’s dad unfortunately died from lung cancer, so my nan knew what it was like to see lung cancer and what it does. But this was many years ago before the technology, treatment, and research we have now.
I found Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation when my nan passed away. I wanted donations to go to a charity which would prevent or support those suffering what we had gone through.
The more I read about the charity, the more I wished I had found it when my nan was alive. The support they provide is wonderful. By fundraising for them, I want to ensure that others have the opportunity to gain support during their lung cancer journey.
This climb will be incredibly emotional for myself and my family. Our mountain leader Rob and his wife Tina are both climbing with me. They both knew my nan for years and want to honour her memory with me.
My nan will be there in our memories as we climb. I hope she is proud of us, and that the sun shines to show she can see what we are doing for her.
I hope our climb shows her how much she meant to us and shows that she never really left… she’s still here and will be forever, in our hearts and our memory. I am determined to complete the climb for my beautiful nan.
Training has only just started. New boots, training walks, climbs, running/jogging – all in beautiful locations, with wonderful company. The more I train, the more determined and ambitious I become – it’s just fabulous!
My experience of lung cancer was extremely hard. So fast and destructive.
I hope that lung cancer diagnosis becomes faster and more specific, this is something that I know Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation are pushing for with their campaigning for the National Screening Programme.
I hope that treatment develops to reduce symptoms but most importantly, I hope promotion and prevention becomes the forefront of lung cancer. If we had known what to look for and how to identify it, we could have had more time with my nan or even cured her lung cancer.”
To keep up to date with Sophie’s training and climb of Ben Nevis, or to show your support with a donation, head to her Just Giving page.
