DRIVEN by the deaths of friends and family, Margaret King is preparing to clock up her 186th mile in her ninth consecutive Pink Ribbonwalk.

Mrs King, 64, from Poffley End near Witney, took part in the county’s first Pink Ribbonwalk back in 1994. The 26-mile marathon began in torrential rain, and would have put most people off.

But nine years on, the part-time Abingdon & Witney College food safety lecturer is still taking part and has raised more than £3,000.

The Pink Ribbonwalk raises funds for Breast Cancer Care, which provides free information, support and services to anyone affected by breast cancer.

Mrs King said: “My grandmother died from breast cancer when I was very young, as did two of my aunts, and I have also had two scares myself. But thankfully both times I tested clear of cancer.

“Then, back in 2006, a close friend of my husband Jim and I, Tony Waddington, from Witney, also learned he had breast cancer.

“Sadly, two summers ago, around the time of the Pink Ribbonwalk, he died, and all I could do was dedicate my walker’s medal that year to him and his courageous fight.”

Mr Waddington, a founder member of Witney Lions Club, talked to the Oxford Mail in October 2007, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The then 70-year-old retired insurance broker and grandfather from East End, near Witney, was one of the 300 men a year in the UK to fall victim to breast cancer.

He underwent treatment, but despite being given the all-clear, the cancer returned and he died in 2011.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

  • This year’s Pink Ribbonwalk is on Saturday, May 11, and will follow routes through Blenheim and nearby villages.
  • Walkers choose either a 10- or 20-mile course. Registration costs £30, with a minimum target of £175 sponsorship per person.
  • The event is followed by a celebration fete featuring a free barbecue and entertainment, with a massage and a medal for everyone taking part in the walk.
  • To take part, register at http://pinkribbonwalk.org.ukor call 0870 145 0101.