She is taking on the challenge of her life to celebrate beating breast cancer.
Elland resident Sally Moore is to go the distance this year when she treks through the Grand Canyon.
It will be a great achievement for the bank worker, who believes that had she waited for a routine check up to investigate a found lump that she could now be dead.
And Sally, who contracted breast cancer in January 2012, is doing it all for MacMillan Cancer Support, who helped keep her spirits high during her treatment.
She will tackle more than 40 miles of hill climbs, insects, sweltering heats and ice cold nights while carrying weights of up to 10kg on her route in October, in a bid to reach Las Vegas from the stunning Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona, Arizona.
But the physical exertion should all be worth the while when she gets to camp with a group of other trekkers overlooking the awe-inspiring vistas of the Grand Canyon’s dusty red rock faces and the lesser known surroundings of Spring Mountain National Recreation Area and the Mount Charleston wilderness.
It was a no-brainer for Sally, 42, who was fighting fit before getting cancer and signed up to prove that she is now well on the road to recovery.
She said: “I heard about the trip on the radio and registered straight away.
“I’m doing it with a group called Charity Challenge and thought it would be a great opportunity to give something back to MacMillan, whose support to me and my family has been exceptional.
“I found the cancerous lump after finding five benign ones, despite getting regular check ups since they were found.
“I believe that if I had not gone back to the doctors to check out this sixth lump I would not be here today. It’s great to be here and able to do something like this.”
Sally had to undergo a host of treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a double mastectomy to fight the cancer, which left her feeling drained despite continuing to go on regular walks.
She said: “The challenge is a great motivator to get back to my previous fitness level and having something to work towards gives me something positive to focus my energies upon.
“I’m both incredibly excited and full of trepidation, because it now means that I really need to push myself.”
She will also be kept very busy fundraising for the trip, for which she has committed to donating £3,500 to her charity.
Sally has already planned her first event, a sing-a-long screening of Frozen at the Rex Cinema on March 1.
Tickets cost £5 and can be bought by calling 07733 002329, emailing sallyjlmoore@hotmail.co.uk or visiting Andrew Hirst Pharmacy on Southgate.
Anyone who would like to donate to her Grand Canyon charity effort can also do so by visiting her webpage, www.justgiving.com/Sally-Moore15
