Roz Kara

Why I’m Walking 15 Miles

In a month’s time, I’ll be walking 15 miles for The Marsden.

Most days, I struggle to find time to walk more than 4–5km. Life is busy. Work, family, everything in between. So committing to 15 miles has pushed me out of my comfort zone in a way I didn’t expect… but it also feels really, really good to have said yes.

Because this isn’t just about the walk.

When we lost Karen, I lost a lot of faith.

I’d already lost a dear friend to cancer 13 years ago, and even then it felt too soon, too young to be saying goodbye to people under 50. Losing Karen brought all of that back, but deeper. She left behind two beautiful children, an incredible husband, and a huge circle of friends gathered from every chapter of her life .

During her final year, Mike set up a WhatsApp group called “The Karen Update.” It became a lifeline. A place for honesty, the good days, the hard days, the reality of it all. It’s still there now. We use it to remember her, to check in on Mike and the kids, and to share those random memories and funny moments that still make us smile.

Last Easter, we went to Cornwall. We celebrated her birthday, her life, and scattered her ashes on her favourite beach. It was incredibly special. And it brought us all closer in a way that only something like that can. This Easter we shared photos, raised glasses and memories on our Whats App group.

This past year, I’ve watched  more close friends go through cancer , operations, chemo, radiotherapy. It’s been hard. Really hard.

But they’re both here. They’re recovering. Thank the Goddessess!

And that’s reminded me of something important, the treatment works. The support works. The care, the research, the people behind it all… it matters. Without it, I might have lost even more people I love.

So this walk is for that.

It’s for Karen.
It’s for my friends.
It’s for the people still fighting.
And it’s for the belief that we can keep more people here, for longer.

I’ve worked my way up to about 6–8 miles so far. I’ve still got a way to go before 15 feels comfortable. But I’ll get there, one step at a time, with your support behind me.

If you can donate, thank you. Truly. I can share a link in Whats App if you message me.

But more than anything, this is a reminder that in the hardest moments, it’s people who carry us through. Friendship, love, laughter, strength… those are the things that matter most.

And they’re priceless.