A WARRINGTON worker has spent a gruelling 12 months raising over £11,000 for a cancer charity in memory of her best friend.
Anouska Watkins cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats over the summer, swam 110km and has completed the equivalent of 16 marathons, including taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon in May.
The 31-year-old, who works for the Crown Prosecution Service in Warrington, completed the activities as part of the “365 Challenge” for Cancer Research UK.
Anouska pledged to raise money for the charity after losing her best friend, Debbie Goldman, to skin cancer in June 2006 and kicked-off her fundraising venture on what would have been Debbie’s 30th birthday last year.
Debbie and Anouska met at primary school, aged four and had been best friends ever since. Anouska said: “I never dreamt I would raise so much money when I started the challenge.
“I know Debbie would be immensely proud of everyone’s efforts in helping me to raise so much money for Cancer Research UK and she would be shocked at everything I have done!
“I still miss her terribly, but raising the money has helped to keep her memory alive. I had always wanted to take part in a marathon, but never imagined I would run the equivalent of 16 in just one year!”
For further information on setting-up a “365 Challenge” and raising money for Cancer Research UK visit:
http://sites.google.com/site/365challenge/
Picture shows Anouska (left) with her friend Debbie who tragically died from skin cancer aged just 27.
