About my blog

CLL is the acronym for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia. CLL is the most common cancer of the blood. However, unlike many other leukaemias, CLL is incurable. Innovative research is desperately needed to provide treatments which are more effective than the derivatives of chemical warfare agents currently in use. Research however costs money.

In 2009 I walked from John o'Groats in the north east of Scotland to Land's End in the south west of England. Hence the acronym JOGLE. The purpose of my walk was to make more people aware of this insidious disease and to encourage them to sponsor me by donating to the research groups I was supporting. It was a most enjoyable experience and I met some wonderful people. Together we raised over 2000 pounds for the cause. Thank you everyone!

In, 2010, the blog was being continued for those who may have be interested in following my walking holiday in Wales. This was not a charity walk.

Sadly this year, 2013, Alan Frost, a senior member of the Wednesday Loafers, our cancer support group, passed away. Many medics will tell you that CLL can be cured by a bone marrow transplant. Alan had battled with the cure for many years. More research is needed, but significant progress has been made since I started this blog.

CLL is still killing my friends. The organizations listed at the side of this blog would welcome any contributions you would like to make towards their research.

Please feel free to pass on the details of this site to anyone you think may be interested. The link is www.cancerwalker.com
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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Day 51, Moreton Valence to Shepperdine, Wed 26 Aug

Summary
Today’s distance: 27.6 km (17.1 miles)
Total distance: 1237 km (769 miles)
Distance to go: 391 km (243 miles)

Report
I awoke at 5:30 am to the sound of rain hitting the tent. For my pre breakfast I ate muesli and grapes which I had bought at a small pub last night. I was on the road by 7:30 am. I went past Moreton Valence church and then on farm tracks to Wheatenhurst. I joined the Gloucester to Shapness Canal just south of Frampton on Severn.

Just south of the Splatt bridge a bearded gentleman on a bicycle stopped and introduced himself as a blog follower and a JOGLE walker from the 1990's. Like many other LEJOG walkers he is also a TGO walker. We took to the road at Purton and Don, for that was his name, walked with me to Wanswell. There he left to cycle home, when the showers, that had been ever present, turned to heavy rain. Walking in Don's company the morning passed very quickly.

I stopped for lunch, an all day breakfast, at a very busy cafe in Berkeley. I meant to photograph the name plate of the town for my readers in the US but as usual forgot after the meal. I'd just like them to know I too have been to Berkeley. Then I headed back to the Severn Stop bank where I have camped for the night, just before a heavy and windy rain squall. This evening's meal is a bag of Tesco's unsalted, yogurt coated cashews and cranberries.
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4 comments:

  1. Alan IslasAugust 27, 2009 at 3:52 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. RichardAugust 28, 2009 at 12:06 AM

    Dear Dr. Barr,

    I contacted Colin who kindly provided more information. Unfortunately, I think I lost my chance to meet you when you passed near by Birmingham, because now is to difficult to me to get to your current whereabouts, because of restricted time and money.

    So I will have to encourage you from afar, you are almost there! Hopefully we can remain in contact, you are becoming an inspiring person to me. In fact I'm doing some fundraising myself for Barnardo's and running in the Great North Run. In the professional area, I'm currently working on measuring that target phase in a useful way! Your guidance in science and activism will be very much appreciated.

    Best regards and good luck for the last days of your long walk.

    Alan Islas
    PhD Student
    Acoustics and Sonar Group
    University of Birmingham

    ReplyDelete
  3. RichardAugust 28, 2009 at 12:08 AM

    Alan's original comment was edited to help keep his email free from potential spam

    ReplyDelete
  4. RobAugust 29, 2009 at 12:19 AM

    Hi Richard,

    I am in transit at Sydney airport en route to Johannesburg. You're going great guns and will probably have finished the walk by the time I get back to email access again. All the best for the remainder of the journey. See you when we both get home.

    Cheers,

    Rob

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