A 72-year-old woman will tackle Peru’s iconic Inca Trail next year to raise money for a cancer charity close to her heart.
Liz Madden, of Bailey Hills Road, Bingley, is embarking on the trek in May 2014 in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.
She will spend ten days in South America over the course of the trip, covering more than 26 miles, with a highest point of 4,200m above sea level, to reach Machu Picchu, the mysterious lost city of the Incas.
“It seems a bit daft, but I chose this because it was the toughest challenge I could think of,” she said. “People say that I do suit my name though, in that I am a bit mad. I can’t wait to get out there and see the amazing sights, I’m just hoping I don’t come back on a stretcher!”
Mrs Madden, who was a district nurse across the Bradford district for 25 years, working in Eccleshill, Baildon and Barkerend, has supported and collected for Marie Curie for many years, as her mother, Ruby Wood, received care in a Marie Curie hospice on three separate occasions.
Next year’s trek will be her first major fundraising challenge, and she admits that if she can hit or exceed her £4,000 target, it will be a “huge relief”.
“I’ve tried to help Marie Curie as often as I can over the years, as their work is so important,” she said.
“Choosing them as a charity was obvious, as it is very personal to me. They provide such a vital service to the people of Bradford. I wanted to be able to raise an amount of money that would really make a difference, and this challenge is a way of doing that.”
Although worried about altitude sickness, Mrs Madden says she is keen to push herself to the limit in the endurance challenge. “It is a journey into the unknown, but I hope it will also be an exhilarating and wonderful experience,” she said. “When I reach the top, I’m sure I’ll reflect on my family and all the special people who have helped to get me there.”
Mrs Madden has been raising funds for the trip since September and her next charity night is a “Celebration of Yorkshire”, taking place at Baildon Golf Club on Friday January 17, starting at 7pm.
The evening will feature a Yorkshire supper, charity quiz and raffle, and entertainment from soul singer Leo Kenny. Tickets cost £12.
Any local businesses wishing to sponsor Mrs Madden’s trek can contact her directly on (01274) 563603, and donations to Marie Curie can also be made via her Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/liz-madden42.