Fancy a walk around the Great Wall of China?

That is the question being asked by a fundraising team that is taking on the challenge in October to raise money for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation, which has benefitted scores of people from across Burnley, Pendle and the Ribble Valley.

Unfortunately four of the team have been forced to pull out due to injuries so replacements are needed for them as soon as possible as the trekkers have just started a training programme for what will be six day expedition with up to seven hours walking a day.

Until just a few days ago, it had 20 members, which qualified it to go out as a single group with its own dedicated guide.

However, as the numbers are now down to 16 the group would not qualify for their own dedicated guide and would have to join other groups.

Dan Hill, who is Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s head of fundraising, said: "“There is no question of the trek being called off.

“We will go to China as planned but it was always our plan to be a self-contained Rosemere Cancer Foundation team and if possible, we would like to stay as just that.”

Dan, himself is a team member alongside consultants Dr Gerry Skailes, an oncologist and clinical director for cancer services for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and her colleague Dr Jeyaram Srinivasan, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, who has also signed up his wife Krishna to trek

with them.

Dan added: “We have a great mix of team members and I can assure anyone with the knees and back to join us they will receive a very warm welcome.

"There’ll be great camaraderie and the itinerary promises an unforgettable, once in a lifetime experience.”

The path the team is set to take will walk sections of the Great Wall as it contours hills and mountains in remote areas north of Beijing and snakes through woodland and terraced farmland.

Before returning home, the intrepid group will spend a day in Beijing to visit Tiananmen Square and the nearby Forbidden City.

The trip costs £1,730 plus a £299 booking fee. Trekkers are also expected to be sponsored to raise funds for Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

Anyone interested should contact Dan on 01772 528346.

Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer services and treatments to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre, the region’s specialist cancer treatment centre at the Royal Preston Hospital, and at another eight hospitals across the two counties that also look after cancer patients.

Last month,Rosemere Cancer Foundation announced it had reached its £1.5 million 20 Years Anniversary Appeal target.

The appeal was launched at the end of March 2017 to celebrate Rosemere Cancer Centre’s 20th birthday by funding a trio of ground-breaking projects to improve its patients’ lives. They included the purchase of the most advanced robotic surgical system on the market in the world and currently, one of only three in the UK, with the other two being at hospitals in London and Birmingham.

The appeal has also funded an oncology research co-ordinator and a research centre pharmacy and path lab to enable more patients to join clinical trials. This effectively gives them access to the very latest anti-cancer medicines and therapies being developed globally - potentially years ahead of their availability on the NHS.

The final project is the refurbishment of the centre’s in-patient Ribblesdale Ward, which is currently being planned.

For further information on Rosemere Cancer Foundation, the appeal projects, its work at other local hospitals and how to volunteer and donate, visit the charity’s website at www.rosemere.org.uk