An ex-servicewoman who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma is set to recreate the charity walk she completed before becoming an amputee.
Bethany Barnes took on a sponsored walk around Ennerdale Water, a glacial lake in the northwestern Lake District, after receiving her first bone cancer diagnosis in December 2019.
In doing so, she raised a phenomenal £4,700 and hopes to round off her cancer journey by repeating this challenge in the picturesque national park.
Reflecting on the full-circle moment, Bethany shared:
I'm hoping to finish off my cancer story this summer by repeating the same walk I started with to support this amazing charity. I have been so lucky to have my first born, Rhea, during the tree years I was clear of cancer, which I am forever blessed for. We have all been given another shot at life and can learn to adapt to our limitations, which is a message I hope to convey through this challenge.
Xanthe Hopkinson, Regional Relationship Manager at the Bone Cancer Research Trust, added:
We are so in awe of Bethany's strength and determination to continue raising vital funds and awareness. The money raised from her remarkable efforts will help us ensure that more patients are able to survive and thrive beyond their diagnosis. Bethany's determination to improve outcomes for future patients is truly inspiring, and we would like to say a heartfelt thank you and wish her all the best for the next walk.
Bethany's journey began when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her right hip, femur, and knee when she was just 22 years old.
Her treatment involved MAP chemotherapy over a nine-month period, which was followed by limb-salvage surgery to replace her affected bones with a metal prosthesis.
In October 2023, just ten months after giving birth to her daughter, Bethany was diagnosed with a recurrence of osteosarcoma in her hip.
Devastatingly, Bethany had fallen pregnant in this time, and was required to terminate the pregnancy in order for further scans to take place.
Following her second surgery, Bethany was given medical discharge from the Royal Navy after her leg and part of her pelvis were removed — a career she had held since 2014.
If you would like to support Bethany's fundraising, please visit her GoFundMe page below.
Bethany's bone cancer journey
