Another Camino (with kebabs)

Regular readers will know that ten years ago, my mate Stu (easy name to remember) came up with a cunning plan to walk the Camino de Santiago. The cunning bit was that he fooled me into doing it with him. There's a tag in the footer of this page that will take you to my camino posts.

Since we finished it, we haven't managed to get our acts together to take on another walk.

Then, another mate, Deb, came up with a cunning plan to walk 100 km in Cyprus. The cunning bit was that she fooled me into doing it with her. Naturally, I roped Stu in too.

On Friday October the 24th of 2025, the three of us are setting off for four days of walking, starting at Dhekelia Garrison at the Eastern end of the island, taking in Larnaca, Paphos and Limassol before finishing near the other garrison at Episkopi.

Why? I'll let Deb tell you, below:

Cancer Care 100km Walk – For anyone who’s been touched by cancer.

Hi, I'm Deb McEwan.

In June 2022, my world turned upside down with the words: "aggressive breast cancer." The shock and fear that followed were overwhelming; a relentless wave that threatened to drag me under.

I began treatment almost immediately, stepping into the unknown with paralysing fear, but a hopeful heart. The journey was far more brutal than I could ever have imagined. I endured thirty-five different side effects from the treatments, each one chipping away at my strength, my sense of self, and my spirit. There were days when I could barely recognize the person in the mirror, but somehow, I kept going, clinging to hope even when it felt impossibly out of reach.

After facing a double mastectomy riddled with complications, and later a hysterectomy, I finally heard the words I had been desperately longing for: all clear. Relief flooded through me, but the path to healing proved long and winding, shadowed by uncertainty and the weight of all I’d lost.

But life, ever unpredictable, had another challenge in store. Just as I dared to believe in recovery, further tests brought devastation and I was diagnosed with anal cancer in October 2024.

I felt like the ground had vanished beneath my feet. During my first treatment for this new battle, while I was lying in a hospital bed, my doctor reached out to PASYKAF on my behalf. Not long after, a gentle soul—a volunteer—walked into my life. With kindness and understanding, they explained the services PASYKAF offered, and suddenly, my husband, friends and family found a lifeline of emotional and practical support, reassurance in the knowledge that there were people who cared and would walk beside us through the darkest times.

Today, I am profoundly grateful to be cancer-free. My body and heart still bear the scars, but I am slowly learning to reclaim my health, my strength, and most importantly my sense of self. I know I will never return to the person I was before this terrible disease, but I am discovering new resilience and gratitude for life.

None of this would have been possible without the unwavering love and support of my wonderful husband, Allan, who became not just my carer but my anchor through every storm. My family and friends lifted me with their love when I could not stand on my own, and our wonderful dog, Sandy, listened quietly to my fears and sorrows when I could not find the words for others.

Cancer does not only touch the person who receives the diagnosis—it ripples out, touching everyone who loves and cares for them.

I truly believe that PASYKAF is a beacon of hope for so many, making an unbearable journey just that little bit lighter. Every donation means their volunteers can continue to give precious time, warmth, and comfort to those in desperate need.

Now, as I move forward, my amazing friends are joining me in a walk to raise money and awareness for PASYKAF.

This walk is a fundraising effort, and a celebration of survival, of friendship, and of the path out of darkness. I hope, with every step, to leave the pain of illness further behind and to embrace the future with hope.

From October 24th 2025, I will be completing 4 daily walks of around 25km, finishing on October the 27th. Over the four days, I'll be in Larnaca, Paphos and Limassol, completing the 100 km in Episkopi.

PASYKAF depends on donations to continue, so if you can spare some cash for this fantastic charity, please donate.

Me again. Here's the link

If you can donate, thank you and if you can spread the link to your family and friends, we'd love that too.

I'll be keeping everyone updated through the donation page, but probably here on the blog too. Become a free subscriber, and you won't miss a thing.