Katharine to walk for charity

Katharine to walk for charity

14 August 2019

A DOWNPATRICK mum who is fighting bowel cancer will be walking for charity next month.

Thirty six year-old Katharine Mcauley is taking part in the Walk Together on September 7 to help raise awareness and funds to combat the disease. 

Mother-of-three Katharine will be joined by friends from Downpatrick and Killyleagh for the five-mile walk, which starts at the Lock Keepers Inn on the River Lagan towpath in Belfast. 

Katharine was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in May after a tumour perforated while breastfeeding her newborn daughter. 

She is now determined to make more people aware of the disease and raise much-needed funds for the cause at the same time.

Katharine is undergoing chemotherapy treatment. She has completed three of her eight sessions and hopes to be well enough to take part in the walk.

She said: “We are trying to raise as much money as we can for Bowel Cancer UK, a leading bowel cancer charity who have a branch in Northern Ireland.

“I am realising quickly that bowel cancer sufferers from here do not receive as much recognition or support as our English, Welsh or Scottish counterparts.”

Katharine hopes to reach her target amount of £825 through donations on her Just Giving page and would be delighted if she smashed it. 

Katharine is also calling for the government to lower the age of bowel cancer screening.

She said: “We need to raise awareness about bowel cancer especially affecting younger people like myself. I’m determined to do whatever I can to raise vital funds for bowel cancer UK so they can continue to help people and save more lives.”

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Northern Ireland and the second biggest cancer killer. 

Every year more than 1,100 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and over 400 people die from the disease. However, it’s curable, especially if diagnosed early. 

Niamh McDaid, Senior health promotion and training officer for Bowel Cancer for Northern Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to have Katharine and the team taking part in Walk Together and raising funds for the charity. 

“This means we can continue with our vital work of saving lives, enabling research and improving the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer.

“Walk Together is for all ages and abilities and you can walk with friends, family and colleagues, or invite your local community to join you.”

Katharine’s link to her Just Giving page is: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/katharine-beers.