Walkers to scale nine peaks for cancer challenge

Libby's uncle Jonathan Gatt is among the 12 people taking on the challenge

Friends and family of a young woman with cancer are aiming to scale nine of the UK's highest peaks in just four days to raise money for her treatment.

Libby Dodes was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer by chance after she was thrown off her horse and had a CT scan.

It showed she had a large mass in her abdomen, and a biopsy later revealed she had small cell ovarian cancer.

The 23-year-old, from Derby, has already started chemotherapy on the NHS, but her friends and family are now raising funds for Ms Dodes to have immunotherapy.

'We can do it'

Her uncle Jonathan Gatt is among the group taking on the challenge.

"I can see what Libby's going through, and I wanted to give as much commitment to anything I could do on her behalf," he said.

"It's going to be so tough, but I think we can do it. We're just going to keep going."

Mr Gatt believes they will be the first people to complete what he has called the "Nine-Peak Challenge" over four days.

"We've been doing lots of training," he said.

"We don't know if we've done enough training because I can't find any other people that have done this challenge in this time."

The walkers have already climbed Derbyshire's three highest peaks as part of their training

More than £100,000 has already been raised towards Libby's treatment, which will pay for one round of immunotherapy, and they are aiming to raise £300,000.

The challenge begins on 5 September, when the walkers aim to do the Yorkshire Three Peaks, which is a 24-mile (38.6km) round-trip route and includes 1,585m (5,200ft) of ascent.

They then aim to do the National Three Peaks Challenge on 6 and 7 September, which involves climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales.

They will walk a distance of 23 miles (37km) and ascend a total height of 3,064 metres (10,052ft) - twice the height of the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

The final day of the challenge is 8 September, when they aim to climb Derbyshire's three highest peaks.

Support needed

The team will start the Derbyshire leg of the trek at Hayfield and then walk up to Higher Shelf Stones before they go to Bleaklow, then hike up Kinder Scout and return to Hayfield.

"We're hoping people join us for the last hike, which is still a tough hike on its own; 20 miles across the Derbyshire peaks is no easy feat," said Mr Gatt.

People can also join the group just for the hike up Kinder Scout.

Mr Gatt added: "We are going to do a shorter route around eight or nine miles.

"That would be a route people can start later on in the day, where we would meet them and go up Kinder Scout together.

"By that time, we're going to be struggling, so as much support as possible is what we're after to get us over the line."

Libby Dodes was diagnosed with cancer after being thrown off her horse

He hopes Ms Dodes will be waiting in Hayfield for the walkers to return, depending on her treatment and some tests she needs.

"Mentally she seems in a great place," her uncle said.

"To see her, speak to her, she's brilliant. She's full of life, she's very positive, she's going to beat this."

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