Congratulations to the intrepid trekkers who last month completed 40tude curing colon cancer’s latest Adventure Challenge: to walk 100km of the Sahara over four days. St Mark’s doctors David Burling and Warren Hyer joined 40tude’s two back-to back-expeditions in January, walking from the Faija Plateau to M’Hamid in the Moroccan Sahara.
During their trek the teams experienced a range of terrain and views – from sunrise in the spectacular Chegaga dunes, to traversing dry river valleys and an enormous plain of volcanic rock with almost no tree or shrub in sight. Each day they experienced the range of the desert’s winter temperatures which plummeted at night and then rose in the day – swapping daily their down jackets and beanie hats for sunhats and sunblock. After completing the longest day’s distance of 32km early into the trek, many endured the discomfort of walking with blisters for the rest of the journey.
So far a fantastic £57,000 has been raised as a result of 40tude’s Sahara 2019 Challenge, enabling 40tude to continue to help fund research projects at St Mark’s targeted at the prevention of colon cancer, including the PERFECTS and PROGRESS programmes. In undertaking this challenge the team has also raised vital awareness of this disease, highlighting 40tude’s core message that regular screening for colon cancer from your mid-40s is vital for early diagnosis and successful treatment of this type of cancer. For more information and a unique view of this expedition please take a look at 40tude’s Sahara Challenge film produced by Jake Hatt of FreebirdFilm.tv.
Thank you to everyone who took part and to 40tude for continuing to support us in our work to not only treat but eventually cure Colon Cancer.