Rochdale News | News headlines | Rochdale skin therapist to travel Sahara desert to raise funds for skin disease research
Date published: September 12, 2021
Rebecca Graham
A skin therapist from Rochdale has to cross the Sahara Desert to raise funds for research into skin diseases.
Rebecca Graham hopes to raise £ 2,500 for the British Skin Foundation with the five-day trek in November.
The grueling 100 km hike will cross valleys, gorges, plateaus, sand dunes and oases in the harsh landscape of Morocco. The challenge begins on the Maider El Kbir plateau, before climbing the Jebel El Mrakib. The last days will be spent hiking along the Tikertouachene River before finishing – and celebrating – in Ouarzazate.
Seeing clients with eczema so severe that they were unable to work, cystic acne that destroyed a person’s self-confidence, and skin cancer that was detected just in time have had a profound impact on Rebecca over the years.
The British Skin Foundation claims that 60% of Britons currently suffer – or have suffered – from a skin disease at some point in their lives. Up to one in five children are affected by eczema, while skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer.
Rebecca says she wanted to “do a crazy challenge to fundraise for the British Skin Foundation for a while” but “never felt fit enough”.
She started working with a personal trainer in February 2020, dropping four stones in the process, then completed four or five intense workouts per week, including strength training, boxing-inspired workouts, cardio and walking.
Rebecca said, “The reason I decided to take part in this particular challenge is to really push myself, push myself, my fitness and my endurance. I have worked in the beauty industry for over 15 years and have seen hundreds of people with life changing skin conditions including skin cancer.
“Supporting these people over the years has inspired me to raise funds for the British Skin Foundation to help find treatments and cures for all types of skin conditions. “
Donations can be made through Rebecca’s JustGiving page. If the trip cannot take place due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will be postponed to a later date.