A Newcastle mum joined former Love Island star Amber Gill and cervical cancer survivors on a charity trek across the Jordanian desert.
Tracy Virgo, from Whickham, spent five days battling 40C heat to cover a distance of 75km in order to raise funds for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. The 54-year-old accountant was inspired to support the charity after experiencing firsthand what it was like to have an abnormal smear test result in her 20s.
Tracy had to undergo a loop biopsy, a procedure that is carried out to remove pre-cancerous changes from the cervix at an early stage following her smear result. Joining Tracy on the trek were a number of cervical cancer survivors who had received help from the charity.
"During the start of lockdown I completed the application and I was both delighted and scared when they contacted me to say I was in," Tracy said.
"Speaking to [everyone] on the trek it was amazing [to hear about] the help and support across all the age groups that Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust had given [them.] I asked family, friends and work colleagues to sponsor this amazing trek and everyone has been so kind and supportive."
Tracy managed to raise more than £3,000 thanks to their generous support, with the trek as a whole raising around £90,000 for the charity which provides support and information to those battling cervical cancer. The mum-of-two said it was an incredible experience, with the group visiting Amman Citadel and Mount Nebo, as well as taking a dip in the Dead Sea along the way.
After walking up to nine hours each day the group then underwent a 3,000-meter climb to finish the trek at Petra.
“This was possibly the hardest thing I have ever done," Tracy said.
"Temperatures reached 40C one day and we were climbing up rocky mountains and scrambling down paths. I really pushed myself to my limit and am so thankful to everyone who supported me by donating, you really helped me get through this.”
Samantha Dixon, CEO of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said that charity was so grateful for the group's efforts.
“We are so thankful to Tracy for taking on this incredible challenge," she said.
"Trekking in the desert is a huge undertaking and the funds raised will go towards ensuring that Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust can continue to offer vital support and information so that nobody has to face a cervical cancer diagnosis alone.”
To donate to Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust via Tracy's page, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tracy-virgo1
READ NEXT:
