Gemma is trekking for change

Gemma Fenwick, Superintendent for the DEXA department at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust is getting ready to trek to raise funds for Coppafeel.

Gemma feels particularly passionate about the charity, having lost two friends at an early age to breast cancer. She also sees a lot of cancer patients in the DEXA unit and wanted to do even more to help support them. DEXA is a bone density scan that uses low dose X-rays to see how strong your bones are.

Coppafeel is an awareness charity that promotes health education to younger males and females. Their goal is to help younger people to understand their normal breast tissue and to know when to identify changes. Twin sisters Kristin and Maren Hallenga founded Coppafeel after Kris was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer at the age of 23.

From Saturday 11 June, Gemma will be putting on her boots and walking 100km along the Pembrokeshire coast. As well as clocking up an average of 20km a day – she will also be camping along the way. The Coppafeel Charity Trek is with Giovanna Fletcher and 80 other amazing women raising money and awareness for the charity.

As well as being a healthcare professional, Gemma is also passionate about health education so trekking for a charity that has an emphasis on improving health education is the perfect combination.

Gemma has a number of fundraising events planned in from fashion shows to page of 100 shapes of boobs that have been drawn and are £3 a square, so you can pick up a pair and raise money for a good cause.

Gemma said: “This is something I am really excited to do. I have some back issues, which is why I work in the DEXA department, so it will be a challenge. I wanted to challenge myself and to do something that I feel passionate about. So far, I have had an on-line catch-ups with the trekkers I am joining and Giovanna Fletcher who is the trek lead. As well as putting on fundraising events, I am getting prepared for the walking and camping. I am really passionate about health education and having lost two friends at a young age to cancer the charity does amazing things to promote better health education to groups that might not be aware of the risks. I can’t wait to get trekking in June, although my feet, back and knees may not be thanking me!!

If you would like to donate to Gemma’s trek you can do this via her Just Giving page: http://www.justgiving.com/Gemma-Fenwick1?utm_id=26