Three friends have completed the Three Peaks Challenge in memory of a Lymm man, Paul Cooper, who died in 2021 aged 47 from a brain tumour, raising £5,500 for research into the disease.
Vicky Cooper, Paul’s sister, her boyfriend Gavin Bacon and friend Emily Fowler – all 51 – climbed Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon between 7am June 13th and 7am June 14th, completing all three peaks within the 24-hour challenge.
They covered 23 miles on foot and 10,052 feet of ascent, finishing on the Miners Track at Snowdon on Sunday morning.
The challenge was completed in memory of Paul Cooper, who grew up in Lymm, was a former pupil at Lymm High School and who had many friends living in and around Lymm.
Vicky said: “Paul did the Three Peaks Challenge and went up and down it like a mountain goat. I knew it was going to be hard but I was determined to complete it in under 24 hours. I wanted to do the challenge as we would be literally following in his footsteps.
“It is very hard to believe that it has been over five years since we lost Paul. It is also hard to see how little progress there has been in effective treatment for the hideous disease that is glioblastoma. The only way that any progress will be made is by research.
“Everything we raise for The Paul Cooper Fund goes to fund that research. We really hope that one day glioblastoma sufferers aren’t handed a death sentence on diagnosis as Paul was.”
Gav, Vicky and Emily at the top of Snowdon
The Three Peaks Challenge was the latest in a series of fundraising efforts organised by Vicky over the last six years since losing her brother. Paul’s friends and family have raised over £175,000 in total for The Paul Cooper Fund in The Brain Tumour Charity.
Only between one and three per cent of the national cancer budget goes towards brain tumours, despite them being the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40.
Donations to The Paul Cooper Fund can be made at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/3peaksforpaul
