Chapel-en-le-Frith mum’s 100km trek for breast cancer charity

Lisa Beever will be donning her walking boots and heading to Northumberland next month to take part in CoppaFeel’s week-long trek in the rugged countryside to raise money and awareness for the charity’s life saving mission.

The 33-year-old from in Chapel has been trying to bag a place on the trek for three years.

She said: “I have lost my mum, my brother and my grandad to cancer so I always said I wanted to do something to help others.

“The CoppaFeel trek is so hard to get on as places are very limited and this is my third time of trying so I couldn’t actually believe it when I was accepted.”Lisa said although her family were not directly impacted by breast cancer CoppaFeel’s mission is about raising awareness of what is normal in your body which is something she feels strongly about.

She said: “People brush things off if they do find anything but making that doctor’s appointment and receiving early treatment could save your life.

“People should know what their breasts and testicles feel like and be checking regularly so they can feel if anything changes.”

Lisa says she is not a very outdoorsy person and says next month’s trek is very much out of her comfort zone.

She said: “I’m not the most active person and I don’t do camping. I like washing my hair in the morning but I’m doing all this because it’s for such a great cause.”

A CoppaFeel spokesperson said: “Anyone can be affected by breast cancer, but a quarter of young people don’t realise they are at risk.

“It’s why we’ve launched our new campaign to encourage you to get to Know Yourself. Know your body, know its quirks, know how it changes, and if you notice something unusual for you, speak to your GP.

“Knowing what’s normal for you means you have the best possible chance of early detection, and early detection saves lives.

“We want to ensure all breast cancers are diagnosed early and correctly by encouraging people to check your boobs and pecs regularly from a young age.

“We are educating people on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

“And we are here to empower you to seek advice from a doctor if symptoms persist.”

Lisa lost her mum to cancer in 2010 when she was just 20-years-old.

Her brother passed away two years ago leaving behind a two-month-old baby.

She said: “Cancer is the worst.

“It tears families apart and leaves holes in your heart which can never be filled so if I can do something to help others not go through what I have gone through then of course I will do it.”The CoppaFeel trek is being led by Giovanna Fletcher and Lisa says she has already made contact with some of the people taking on the mammoth challenge.

“There are people who are going through or have overcome breast cancer who are on the trek and they are true heroes.

The 100km trek works out at around 23km a day which Lisa says is a lot.

“I’ve started getting some practice walks in around the Peak District but now I’m going for a hike and then the next day I don’t do anything and just relax.

“But next month I will be walking the biggest walk of my life in possibly wet and muddy conditions, pushing my body to the extreme, setting up a tent, realising I don’t like camping, not getting any rest then doing it all again the next day.

“It’s going to be the most challenging I’ve ever done but also I think one of the most rewarding and a once in a lifetime experience.”

In the past Lisa says she has fundraised for a variety of cancer charities’ but this year it is all about the boobs’.

The CoppaFeel spokesperson said: “We believe boob checking should be part of your monthly routine so that you will notice any unusual changes quickly. By checking on a regular basis, you will also build confidence of knowing what is normal for you each month. Everyone has to start somewhere, so don’t worry if you’re not feeling confident straight away.

Being breast aware simply means knowing what is normal for your boobs or pecs. If you have periods, it’s likely you’ll find that your boobs will naturally change as part of your cycle each month. It is important to get to know the normal rhythm of your boobs so you will be able to detect anything unusual quickly

She said: “Early detection in any cancer is important if something isn’t right speak up and ask a doctor to check you over.”Lisa had to raise £1090 to even be allowed to participate in the trek now she needs to raise a total of of £2,225.

She said: “I know it’s a huge amount of money and I know people are struggling with the rising cost of bills and food shopping but every little helps and any donation you make will be going to help raise awareness on checking your breasts and save lives.”

Lisa will be documenting her CoppaFeel trek on her instagram page http://instagram.com/leeleeloves and donations can be made via https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/leeleeloves?fbclid=IwAR2Kt__a2uiKtXVXInZqqm-5s5CLsSUGw_Q0kLId8hUZHzSW67QmMexM36Y

For more information on CoppaFeel visit their website coppafeel.org