A Holbeach charity volunteer who lives with hearing loss and balance problems after treatment for a brain tumour is preparing to walk 70 miles from the hospital where she was treated back to her home.
Liz Walker, 69, will set off from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge on Friday, September 25. She plans to travel via King’s Lynn before completing the journey to Holbeach, with the walk expected to take nine or 10 days.
Liz is raising money for two causes that are closely connected to her experience: the British Acoustic Neuroma Association (BANA), which supported her before and after treatment, and Holbeach Community Larder, where she volunteers. She intends to divide the money raised equally between the organisations.
Training for the journey
Liz is currently building up her distance and is walking about five miles each day, usually early in the morning. She said the warm weather had made training difficult, while the flat agricultural landscape around the area provided little shade.
“I am hoping it will be much cooler by then,” she said. “At the moment I am doing about five miles each day, walking first thing in the morning but even then it has been warm work and our flat agricultural landscape offers very little in the way of shade.”
The planned route will take Liz from Addenbrooke’s, where she received treatment for an acoustic neuroma, through King’s Lynn and on to her home in Holbeach. The acoustic neuroma affected her balance, but she is continuing her preparations for the demanding walk.
Liz’s acoustic neuroma treatment
Liz was diagnosed with the tumour in 2019 after seeking medical advice about hearing problems. An ear, nose and throat specialist referred her for an MRI scan, which identified the condition at an early stage.
“My acoustic neuroma was diagnosed in 2019 and it was very scary, but I was lucky in that they found it early,” she said.
Liz initially underwent monitoring rather than immediate treatment because the tumour appeared to have stopped growing. Regular MRI scans continued, including during the lockdowns. When scans showed that it was continuing to grow, Addenbrooke’s treated it with radiotherapy instead of surgery.
She said subsequent scans indicated that the tumour had stopped growing and might even have begun to shrink. However, the treatment and condition have left her almost completely deaf in one ear, with occasional balance problems.
“I will continue to have regular MRI scans, probably for the rest of my life, to check it doesn’t start to grow again,” she said.
Liz said BANA had provided important support throughout her diagnosis and treatment. The charity is one of the beneficiaries of the fundraising walk, alongside the local food-support organisation where she volunteers.
How to support the fundraising walk
Donations can be made through Liz’s online fundraising page for the walk from Addenbrooke’s Hospital: givewheel.com/fundraising/19355/walking-home-from-addenbrookes.
