They’ve held a tarantula, braved an icy Boxing Day swim and taken on high ropes – now two sisters are gearing up to take on even tougher challenges for Macmillan Cancer Support in their mother’s memory.
Sisters Verity Pyke, of Cardiff, and Lauren Turner, of Bridgend, have completed 12 of 20 fundraising challenges for Macmillan Cancer Support to mark 20 years since their mother Susan Turner sadly died of breast cancer in April 2000.
And the duo has doubled their £2,000 target by raising £4,000 for the charity with the challenges they’ve completed since April 2019.
They have now set a new target of £5,000, which they hope to hit with their remaining challenges.
They include a sky dive, a Cardiff Bay 10K running team, walks up Pen-y-Fan and the O2 Arena and a black tie dinner at the New House Country Hotel in Thornhill on Friday 15 May.
They are also asking the public to Leap for Macmillan on leap day Saturday 29 February and pay £1 for the leapfrogging challenge, which they can post on their Facebook group, Friends of 20420.
Teacher and mother-of-two Verity, 37, said: “Our family are very proud and excited by the whole thing.
“They’ve been involved as much as they can be – our auntie joined us on our freezing cold swim and both aunties are coming up the O2 with us!
“Our Nan, who is sadly fighting cancer at the moment, has been incredibly supportive and has paid for our sky dives.
“It’s been important to us that we pay for all the challenges ourselves so that every penny raised goes to Macmillan.”
The sisters are hugely grateful to everyone who has helped them hit £4,000 so far – and they are looking for local businesses who can donate raffle prizes for their black-tie dinner.
35-year-old Lauren said: “The support we have received so far has been far beyond our expectations and I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported us along the way.
“We are on the look out for raffle prizes for our black tie dinner in May and we still want to encourage people to come along to our challenges and take part with us.
“We have both been very busy. I’m in my final year in university and we both have family we love spending time with so at times it’s been very busy, but people’s continued support has made it a fun and uplifting year so far.
“We can’t wait to see it through until the end.”
Verity added: “We have been blown away by the support we have had from friends and family and people we have never met before.
“We would like to thank them all for sharing our journey with us, it’s meant the world to us.
“We’d also like to thank all of the local businesses that have supported us through sponsorship or prize donations, in particular Tots Play North and Duncan Worgan Tyres, who are sponsoring our DJ at the dinner!
“We are currently looking for raffle prizes for our charity black tie dinner so if any local businesses would like to donate, we would love to help promote you via our Facebook group Friends of 20420.”
Richard Pugh, Head of Partnerships for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales, said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to Verity and Lauren for taking on these 20 fantastic challenges to support Macmillan in memory of their mum.
“Being diagnosed with cancer can turn lives upside down in a moment and the money they’ve raised will help us be there to offer practical, emotional and financial support for people with cancer in Wales and their loved ones.
“For support, information or just a chat about how Macmillan can help, please call us free on 0808 808 0000.”
People can support Verity and Lauren, or donate towards their challenges, by visiting www.justgiving.com/20420.
