Hertfordshire: Cancer survivor tackles 33-mile walk to fundraise for hospitals

Linda Pottinger will begin her 33-mile walk on 6 March

A cancer survivor has pledged to walk the 33 miles between each hospital that helped treat her to fundraise for charity.

Linda Pottinger, 62, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in June 2023.

She has planned to walk between Watford General Hospital, Mount Vernon Hospital, Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospital.

The former police officer hopes to raise funds for the charity Raise.

Ms Pottinger said the money collected would help provide care "for the next person who walks through the door with bowel cancer".

She added that she wanted to help the hospitals after her team had demonstrated "empathy and humanity in spades".

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'Squeezed my hand'

The cancer survivor recalled how her surgeon had made her laugh with a joke during their first meeting.

She said: "I was giggling all the way home in the car and I thought it was such a clever skill.

"On the day of my surgery I was in this big room on my own, I was pretty vulnerable. He walked up and said 'all dressed up and no place to go', which made me laugh and then he just squeezed my hand."

Ms Pottinger said she has already began preparing for her challenge and has walked 525 miles to build up her strength.

She joked: "It's a shame I couldn't have done the scans elsewhere it would've made the walk shorter."

The 62-year-old intends to start her challenge on the 6 March and will be joined by her surgeon for the last few miles.

The walk will start and end at Watford General Hospital.