Padiham man’s third camino for Rosemere
A Padiham man, who marked his 60th birthday by walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrims’ way for a third time, not only raised £1,000 for charity Rosemere Cancer Foundation but also discovered on his return home that his diabetes had gone into remission!
Anthony “Tony” Williams took just short of a month to complete the way’s Camino Frances route, which is about 800 km (500 miles) long and goes from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at the tip of the Pyrenees to join up with the camino’s network of other routes, which all finish at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain.
Tony, who works at William Hill in Burnley’s Charter Walk, had previously trekked the way’s Camino del Norte route through Northern Spain and its Portuguese route from Porto, using both those adventures to also support Rosemere Cancer Foundation in tribute to his late father and a number of friends lost to cancer.
Championed this time around by former Burnley FC striker, Padiham Predator Andy Payton, Tony said: “My family really supported me, especially my sister Vicky, who is Andy’s partner. I am very grateful. This route was the toughest I’ve walked so far as it started off cold and wet and then became very hot.
“They say the Camino Frances tests the body, mind and soul. Initially, the route is very up and down so is hard going on the body. There’s then a road you follow for about 150 miles, which is tough mentally because it seems never-ending. The third stage is more spiritual as you walk through beautiful woods full of birdsong. On whichever camino route you take though, you meet people that become friends for life.”
Tony continued: “Before I started the walk, I had just been diagnosed as diabetic from being pre diabetic. When I got home, my test showed my diabetes had gone into remission so I intend to keep up the walking and trying to eat healthily. I may do the camino again as I met a 78-year-old Belgium lady this time around, who was on her 20th camino!
“The camino has more than 200 recognised routes. I’ve done the three most popular. The fourth is the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo in Spain, which is about 321 km (199 miles) so that’s an option as we all know friends and family members that have suffered or are suffering from cancer, making support for Rosemere Cancer Foundation much needed.”
Yvonne Stott, events and community fundraiser for Rosemere Cancer Foundation, said: “Well done to Tony for completing his third camino and achieving such a great donation for us. Tony puts himself through really challenging treks but I know that he doesn’t think of any hardships he’s going through because at the forefront of his mind are people special to him and his family that have had cancer diagnoses to deal with.
“Tony is very selfless. We’re very grateful for all his support and are delighted that his latest camino has brought him some real health benefits too. Thank you to everyone who supported Tony.”
Rosemere Cancer Foundation fundraises to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients being treated at Burnley General Teaching Hospital and seven other local hospital cancer units throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria, as well as at Rosemere Cancer Centre at the Royal Preston Hospital. The cancer centre is the region’s specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre.
The charity funds cutting edge equipment, research, training and other cancer services and therapies that are beyond limited NHS resources. To find out more about its work and to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk