Preston volunteers give 'middle finger' to cancer with a sponsored walk to Wales

The feat, called 'F*** you cancer' will take them over 16 hours and see volunteers trek across 50 miles in June, where they hope to raise funds to support his cousin make memories with her children.

The cause is close to the heart of founder Chris Murray whose cousin Vikkie Ayres was sadly re-diagnosed with cancer having already beaten the disease just nine months before, and is now left unable to get up and down her stairs and will rely on kidney bags for the rest of her life.

The 36-year-old is a mum to six children and made the brave move to Colwyn Bay to start a new life, after she was first given the devastating news in December 2019 that she had Stage Three Cervical Cancer, just three short months before the lockdowns began.

And she now fears she may leave her children behind if she loses her second battle with the condition which has now violently spread to other organs in her body.

Chris said: "This years' walk is very personal to me and is in aid of my amazing cousin Vikkie and her children to help them build as many memories that they can.

"The reason I chose Rosemere was because that’s where my amazing cousin had rung the bell after completing treatment for stage three Cervical Cancer in 2019.

"To get a diagnosis like that in December before lockdown is tragic enough, but she dug deep and fought it with everything she could and for a short time everything looked positive.

"Fast forward nine months and as a family, we received the most heartbreaking news that cancer had returned and it was much more aggressive, having spread to her kidneys, pelvis and all over the lower part of her stomach.

"My beautiful cousin, who I named our 11-week-old baby girl after, has six beautiful babies of her own. Having beat this horrible disease once already and then to start a better life in Wales by the sea, only to be hit by this dreadful disease again absolutely destroys me.

"There really is no sacrifice I can offer a woman who deserves none of this."

The 'Here for Humanity' group walked from Preston to Liverpool last year to raise money for a little boy named Carson Adams, who was born with a hole in his heart.

Despite sadly losing his battle last year, the organisation gave half of their £5140 donations to the Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

But this has now left her totally paralysed down the left side of her body and forced to use a wheelchair.

And the mum-of-six will rely on two kidney bags for the rest of her life to help drain her urine and now uses a hospital bed in her front room as she is unable to go up and down the stairs in her own home.

Vikki, who also recently lost her dad Mike, started her new treatment on April 21, but has been told there is just a 30 per cent chance of it working for her, with her only lifeline being an aggressive form of chemo that could decrease her cancer cells.

Ahead of the sponsored walk, due to take place on June 2, Chris added: "As you can imagine, this is very personal to my self and my family, but what is important is showing my amazing cousin that she is not alone.

"So I and volunteers will start at The Rosemere Cancer Foundation in Preston and walk to Deeside Hospital to raise money for Vikki and her children to enjoy memories together after such an awful year.

"We really value that people and businesses want to support us. Lancashire should all stick together and work as a team."

Volunteers will walk with banners and are asking any sponsors to come forward and donate money to the cause.

Chris can be contacted at [email protected] or by the Facebook page for donations.

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