A West Lothian woman living with aggressive brain cancer is taking on a 100km canoe challenge to help fund a cure.
Hannah King-Page, 43, from Broxburn, will paddle coast-to-coast through the Scottish Highlands along the Great Glen Canoe Trail from 7 to 11 May as part of a team of six to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
The challenge will see Hannah and her team wild camp along the route as they navigate canals, lochs and open water, including the vast expanse of Loch Ness.
Hannah, a former physiotherapist who was forced to retire due to ill health, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive and cancerous form of brain tumour, in 2020 after suffering a seizure at work.
More than five years on, she has outlived the 12-to-18-month prognosis that this tumour type carries. Her tumour remains stable, but she continues to live with the lasting effects of the disease.
Hannah said: “Taking on this challenge is about making the most of the time I have and doing something positive. It gives me purpose and a focus, while raising awareness of a disease that needs far more attention.
“I feel incredibly fortunate that things have remained stable for me, especially when I know so many others aren’t as lucky. But there’s also a sense of guilt that comes with that, because I’m very aware that other people I’ve met through the brain tumour community are facing progression or going through treatment again. It’s not success – it’s just that I’m still here, and I don’t take that for granted.
“Day-to-day life has changed completely since my diagnosis. I live with chronic fatigue, and there are times when it can completely wipe me out for no real reason. I also have some cognitive difficulties – I lose my words or struggle to process things as quickly as I used to.
“There are good days where I feel like I can take on anything, and then there are days where even simple things feel much harder. It’s about learning to listen to your body and adapting to a new normal.”
Hannah will be joined by a group of friends, coming together as ‘Paddles for Progress’ for the challenge, who she met while trekking 50km across the Sahara Desert last year.
Together they raised more than £90,000 for Brain Tumour Research.
The team includes Hariette Small, 46, a Welsh teacher living in Berkshire, who is taking part in memory of a close family friend who died from a brain tumour aged just eight; Hayley Firth, 48, and Amy Firth, 24, from Bedfordshire, who are fundraising in memory of their nephew and cousin, George Fox, who died aged 13; and Claire Cordiner, 57, from Edinburgh, whose family has been devastated by brain tumours, losing four loved ones to the disease.
Also taking part are Hannah’s cousin Sarah Martin, 55, and Gary Balkham, 62, both from Bristol, who share a close personal connection to her journey.
“Meeting the group in the Sahara was such a powerful experience,” Hannah said. “We all came together because of brain tumours, but what we built out there was something much deeper.
“We supported each other through a really tough challenge, and that created a bond that’s hard to explain unless you’ve been through it. We knew we wanted to do something together again, and this felt like the perfect opportunity.”
The group’s latest challenge will take them on a coast-to-coast journey through the Scottish Highlands along the Great Glen Canoe Trail, travelling from Banavie, near Fort William, to Clachnaharry, Inverness, on a demanding multi-day route that combines inland waterways with large open lochs.
Despite her experience with outdoor challenges, Hannah admits she will need to carefully manage her condition throughout the journey.
Hannah said: “For me, the biggest challenge will be managing my fatigue. Physically, I know I can push myself, but living with a brain tumour means I have to be honest about my limits.
“I’ve learned that I need to speak up if I’m struggling or need to slow down, and that’s something I’ll have to be really mindful of during the challenge. It’s about finding that balance between pushing myself and looking after my health.”
Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and there are more than 100 different types of primary brain tumour, making them notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. Yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Through her fundraising group, Hannah’s Kingdom, she has already helped raise more than £36,000 for Brain Tumour Research, funding 13 days of vital research into the disease.
This includes work carried out at centres such as the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, a game-changing collaboration with Beatson Cancer Charity, focused on finding kinder treatments and, ultimately, a cure for glioblastoma – the same type of tumour Hannah is living with.
Hannah added: “Fundraising has become such an important part of my life since my diagnosis. I feel incredibly lucky to have the support of family and friends who have gone above and beyond to help raise money, whether that’s through events, challenges or donations. It’s amazing to know that what we’re doing is helping to fund research, but at the same time it highlights how much more is needed.
“We’ve all got a brain, yet brain tumours receive just 1% of the national spend on cancer research. Treatments for high-grade tumours like mine haven’t really changed in decades, and that’s something that needs urgent attention. While I’m still here and able, I want to keep raising awareness and using my voice to push for better outcomes for people diagnosed in the future.”
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Hannah’s determination to take on such a demanding challenge while living with a brain tumour is incredibly inspiring and we are so grateful for her continued support.
“Her story highlights not only the resilience of those affected by this disease, but also the urgent need for greater investment in research. We have a whole team of scientists at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence dedicated to finding better outcomes for glioblastoma but we desperately need more funding.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.
The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
To support the “Paddle for Progress” team’s fundraising challenge, visit:
https://www.justgiving.com/team/100kcanoeacrossscotland
To read more on Hannah’s brain tumour journey, visit:
https://braintumourresearch.org/blogs/in-hope/hannah-king-page
