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After being treated for breast cancer at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Jayne has spent the past five years volunteering on the chemotherapy wards and in the Beatson Café, supporting patients and families affected by cancer.
Now, Jayne is taking on a very different kind of challenge.
Alongside her husband Mark, Jayne will be climbing Kilimanjaro, taking on the Machame Route and raising funds for Beatson Cancer Charity along the way.
Jayne was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and went through six years of active treatment, including radiotherapy at The Beatson.
“I can’t think of a charity more deserving in my area. It’s something that affects me and therefore my husband.”
PICTURED: Jayne and Mark
Since her treatment, Jayne has continued to return to The Beatson each week as a volunteer, supporting people and families as they go through their own cancer journeys.
“You never have to tell anyone what The Beatson is. Everywhere you go in Glasgow, there’s someone who has been in The Beatson or knows someone who has been treated here. It’s a really important resource for patients as cancer affects so many people.”
Over the years, she has got to know many of the families who return to the wards. She remembers their stories, the details they share with her and even their coffee orders, particularly for those she has seen regularly over several years.
Jayne also remembers the kindness shown to her in return, from thank-you cards to freshly picked apples from families during some of the most stressful moments of their lives. While giving her time to support others is important to Jayne, she is equally clear that volunteering gives something back to her too.
PICTURED: Jayne and Mark
Jayne still remembers the care she received during her own treatment and how well the team got to know her. Her oncologist understood how important staying active was to Jayne and was able to take this into account when planning her care.
There were scares and times when treatment meant adapting to what was possible, but having a team that understood her made a real difference. Looking back on her treatment, Jayne says she feels she is “Scotland’s luckiest cancer patient”.
Having already completed all of the Munros, Jayne and Mark are no strangers to a challenge.
The pair will make their way through five different climate zones on Kilimanjaro before beginning their final ascent to the summit around 1am. The final push could take 12 to 14 hours, with temperatures dropping to Arctic conditions at more than 5,000 metres above sea level.
Marlyn, Volunteer Manager at Beatson Cancer Charity, said:
“Jayne is a wonderful volunteer who always goes above and beyond for the patients and families she supports. Her husband Mark, inspired by Jayne, recently joined Team Beatson and volunteers on the tea trolley with the support of his employer.”
“What an amazing adventure, and we are so grateful that they have pledged to do this for Beatson Cancer Charity.”
We are incredibly grateful to Jayne for everything she has done for Beatson Cancer Charity over the past five years, both through her regular volunteering and now through this challenge.
Good luck, Jayne and Mark. We hope the altitude sickness isn’t too bad, the adventure is everything you hope for and that, when you’re sitting more than 4,000 metres above sea level, sharing dinner with your team, you take a moment to appreciate just how far you’ve come.
Support Jayne and Mark on their Kilimanjaro adventure: JustGiving Page
Thank you, Jayne and Mark, for everything you have done for Beatson Cancer Charity.
