Janine Dosanjh and Katie Sharpe, best friends from Bedfordshire took on the 100km Jurassic Coast Challenge
Janine Dosanjh and Katie Sharpe, best friends from Bedfordshire, laced up their trainers to take on the 100km Jurassic Coast Challenge – Corfe Castle to Bridport in Dorset – last month to raise vital funds for Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice.
The pair who have known each other since they were in junior school walked for around 24 hours across shackles and up strenuous hills to raise more than £2800 in aid of the local Sue Ryder hospice, who in the words of Janine: “Treated my mum like a mum should be treated.”
Janine’s mum who had Motor Neurone Disease died in 2018 and was cared for by the Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice. “I was with mum every day at the end. I just wanted to do something nice in her memory and to say thank you to the hospice staff,” she said.
“The idea started when Katie and I and some other close friends went away together to celebrate our 40th birthdays. I said to the group that I’d love to do a coastal walk for Sue Ryder. I didn’t think anything more of it until Katie called me to say ‘how do you fancy doing the Jurassic Coast Challenge?’ and from that we signed up,” Janine added.
This is the first time Janine has taken on a trek like this. “I bought a treadmill six months ago to help me with my training, but I have never even climbed a hill until now! I didn’t look that much into it before we went and I am glad I didn’t as I am not sure I would have been able to do it.” Katie on the other hand is a runner and an absolute warrior!” she joked.
“I got to the halfway mark at around 58km and I thought I couldn’t go on, but then I remembered my sponsors and our besties waiting at the finish line and I knew I had to keep going. I still can’t believe I have a medal for walking 100km – I am so proud of myself,” Janine added.
Nick Burr, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, said: “I would like to say a big well done to Janine and Katie – I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been especially in the hot weather the UK was enjoying that weekend. A massive thank you also to them and all of their supporters for raising so much money, helping the team at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice continue to be there when it matters.”
Janine and Katie have raised an amazing £2826 to date. To donate visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Janine-Katie.
Janine and Katie are already talking about taking on the Cotswold Way Walk for their next challenge. If their story inspires you to take on a trek of your own for Sue Ryder visit: www.sueryder.org/events to check out the latest walking events.
