by MARY MAGEE
Elaine Patton, who is about to set off on a
marathon trek across the Sahara Desert. US0807- 653CD
MOIRA woman Elaine Patton is is getting ready
for a charity trek across the Sahara Desert in memory of her
father Thomas, who died of cancer two decades ago.
Elaine (26), who is a vet, will be taking part
in the trek from February 23 to March 2 to raise money for
Action Cancer.
Her
father died of testicular cancer at the age of just 33 when
Elaine was two. Elaine who will be joined by her sister Jill on
the trek and together they have raised an astounding �18,000 for
the charity.
They raised money from a number of initiatives including a
coffee morning at their mother's house at Carrowdore on the Ards
Peninsula. More money was raised following a bag packing event
at Marks and Spencer at Bangor and a pig roast event at Cultra
in September.
The fund raising has gone way beyond the
sisters' expectations.
"It was something that we always wanted to do
and it is only now the opportunity has arisen," Elaine said. "It
is something that we had talked about for years and it and it
suited us
to do it now.
"We come from a farming background and people
that we know have all been very generous. There are so many
people who have lost someone to cancer. But the generosity from
people has been great."
Elaine has been going to the gym ready i for the
trek which set to test all the participants .
After trekking and camping in extreme locations
they will get a chance to explore Marrakech before returning
home.
Ulster Star
15/02/2008
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