Twenty-three-year-old Jack Steward from Peterborough will take on his first-ever charity fundraiser this month, as he prepares to run the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales to raise money for the local hospice which cared for his aunt.
Jack’s aunt, Paula Piergianni, who was just 56-years-old when she died, received support from the team at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice for three months of her three-year battle with cancer, and was cared for by the Hospice at Home team in July this year, during her final days.
Jack, who confesses to finding running extra challenging, will take on the 23-mile distance to the top of Snowdon in Wales, Scafell Pike in Cumbria and Ben Nevis in Scotland (and down again), to thank the hospice team for their ‘unbelievable care’ and to help them continue to be there for other local families going through the most difficult times of their lives.
“During my aunt’s final days at home, the nurses went above and beyond to help her. My family are so grateful to them that people were asked to make a donation to Sue Ryder instead of buying flowers at her funeral,” Jack said.
The last three days of Paula’s life were particularly difficult for Jack and his family, but the care she received during this time left such an impression on him that he decided to base his fundraising around the number three. “I thought ‘what things can I do in a three’? I’ve done mountaineering before and I like to go hiking, so my dad suggested I took on the National Three Peaks Challenge,” Jack said.
But, walking the three prominent mountains wasn’t enough for Jack. “I wanted to do something that would make people want to reach into their pockets, to raise as much money as possible so that the hospice can keep helping others like my aunt. Although running the national three peaks is just shy of the distance of a marathon, you’ve also got a 10,000-foot height elevation gain,” he added.
Jack will set off on his epic challenge on Friday 26th August, with the aim of running the peaks in just 20 hours – including the driving distance between each country – which totals 462 miles.
He will be supported by his dad, Allan Steward, his uncle Dean Steward, Paula’s husband Ange Piergianni and Leroy Ankrah, Paula’s son-in-law, who will drop him off at the foot of each peak and collect him at the end of each challenge, before driving onto the next stop and then returning home. Jack adds: “I would like to say a big thank you to the Huntingdon branch of T C Harrison Ford dealership who have provided us with a car for the challenge!” The entire expedition is expected to end on Sunday 28th August – exactly one month after Paula’s funeral.
Helen Kingston. Community fundraiser at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, said: “To walk the National Three Peaks is an epic challenge, but to run each mountain, is just incredible. We would like to say a big thank you to Jack for choosing to raise money for our hospice which provides expert and compassionate palliative care to people living with life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families.”
Jack doesn’t plan on stopping there, as he hopes to sign up to The Atlantic Coast Challenge in October, which encompasses three marathons, totalling an incredible 78.6 miles over three days.
To donate to Jack’s fundraising total, visit: www.justgiving.com/jack-steward.
If Jack’s story has inspired you to lace up your trainers and run for Sue Ryder, you can see all the charity’s upcoming national and regional events here: sueryder.org/events.
