A FORMER nurse who received cancer treatment at Leighton Hospital is to embark on a charity walk.

Kim Smith is walking 155 miles in aid of the Crewe hospital which helped her recover from breast cancer and was also where she trained in her twenties. The distance represents the total distance she travelled from home in Acton Bridge to receive treatment at the Crewe hospital's Breast Care Unit.

Although her energy levels are currently low, Kim plans to walk twice a day on weekdays and once a day at weekends to tot up the miles throughout October. The money raised will go to the breast unit via the Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity, which supports patients, families and staff.

Kim, 60, recalled: "I found my lump on Christmas Eve last year while in the shower and I knew immediately it was breast cancer.

"I went to Leighton in January where I met my consultant Mr Archampong and the team on the unit. They were kindness personified and passionate about women's health.

"I had my ultrasound and then biopsies taken from my breast; I had two tumours and it was just like the advert on the TV, everything in slow motion - the words "you have breast cancer" will stay with us forever.

"It's as if the pile of dominoes started to fall as hospital appointments, blood tests and scans were all slotted in. But I was determined to stay as positive as possible throughout with daily rituals that included laughing and singing."

Kim says she was fortunate that her treatment path had progressed well down the path by the time the country went into lockdown in March. She kept her spirits up by by presenting daily shows from her home for community station Radio Northwich.

She is now cancer free and undergoing three-weekly immunotherapy and antibody therapy at Christie's Hospital in Manchester.

Despite struggling with fatigue she is determined to give something back to the unit at Leighton and launched 'Simply the Breast' at the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on October 1 to enhance the patient experience at the unit.

Mother-of-two Kim, who trained as a nurse and midwife at Leighton from1979 and 1982, wants people to join her fundraising effort within Covid-19 guidelines.

For example it could be by holding a sponsored walk, hosting a wear it pink day at work or a sponsored head shave.

She suggests any men getting involved could golf in pinks socks or pink golf tops and donate £5 each.

She added: "I know friends who would skywalk or zip wire so let's do this and have some fun while raising money and awareness for the Breast Care Unit."

Carole Salmon, Community Fundraiser at Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity said: "Kim's drive and enthusiasm are truly inspirational. I know her fundraising for the Breast Care Unit will be a massive success."

If you would like to help out Kim go here.