CoppaFeel! charity founder living with cancer shares her emotional experience trekking in Iceland for Fabulous Challenges
Kris Hallenga was one of 52 Fabulous Challengers who took on Iceland's Lava Trail to raise awareness about breast cancer prevention
LAST month, 52 Fabulous Challengers took on Iceland’s Lava Trail for CoppaFeel! The charity’s founder Kris Hallenga, 30, shares their journey…
Day 1
Back in January, we started our search for wannabe adventurers for our 36-mile Fabulous Challenge to join our celeb team leaders Chloe Madeley (I’m on her team) and Vicky Pattison in Iceland – and help raise money and awareness about breast cancer prevention.
Fast-forward to August and we finally all meet at Heathrow and take the two-hour flight to Reykjavik, followed by a three-hour coach journey to our campsite.
The landscape is amazing, all snow-capped mountains and waterfalls.
I’m nervous now. I can get very tired, as I have stage-four breast cancer (there is no stage five), which has spread to my liver, bones and brain.
I’m a positive person, but sometimes I wake up in lots of pain.
Thankfully, my sister Maike, 32, is my tent buddy and she’ll know if I need help.
Day 2
After an OK night’s sleep, we have a bowl of porridge, before making our way to a table laden with bread, cheese, ham, fruit, nuts and seeds – everything we need to keep us fed for the day as we cover 15 miles and burn up to 5,000 calories.
The teams have staggered starts, and as Team Vicky heads off, fitness queen Chloe takes us through a series of stretches to make sure our legs are ready for the 11-hour walk. And we’re glad she did, as it’s difficult terrain.
The many ascents and descents are gruelling – and nerve-wracking.
Often, we’re so focused on putting one foot in front of the other, we forget to stop and take in our surroundings.
But, wow, when we do, it’s breathtaking. There’s a new sight round every corner, from lava rocks to bubbling geysers.
Chatting to my fellow trekkers, I realise there are so many different reasons why people have signed up for the trip.
Sara Slee, a 36-year-old mum of two from County Durham, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.
Thankfully, she’s free of the disease now after chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and says the trek is inspiring her to follow her dream of becoming a volunteer counsellor.
About 10 hours into our walk, we spot our campsite, surrounded by mountains and a lake. It’s beautiful.
I’m exhausted, so Maike puts up our tent and I have dinner and go to bed.
As I lie in my sleeping bag, I can hear lots of chatter as Team Vicky and Team Chloe are reunited.
I can’t help but smile as I hear Vicky lead her team in chanting their new catchphrase: “Lads, lads, lads!”
Day 3
Today is going to be a 12-mile walk along mainly flat terrain (phew), but will involve two river crossings (urgh).
As a group of us apply glitter to our cheeks to raise morale, Laura Price, who was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago aged 29 but is currently cancer-free, tells me how fresh-faced I look. The glitter must be hiding my eye bags!
I’m lucky my close friend Laura Plane, 36, who also has incurable cancer, is here.
We met when she was diagnosed in 2007 and she’s also a CoppaFeel! Boobette, helping educate others on being breast aware.
The first river is shallow, but the next is a bit hairy and we link arms to get across.
At the next campsite everyone becomes a bit giddy, cracking open a drink while Tina Turner blares from a truck radio.
After dinner, we challenge each other to eat fermented shark and Vicky’s team wins.
Day 4
I join Team Vicky on the last day, as I haven’t had a chance to chat to many of them yet.
As we make our way over slightly rougher terrain, I talk to Shirley Judd, 54.
She’s a last-minute trekker, as her daughter Chloe, 29, had originally signed up, but was advised by doctors not to do the walk after suffering complications from her breast cancer.
A couple of miles before we finish, there’s one final river crossing.
When we arrive, Team Chloe, who are already on the other side, are putting their boots back on – apart from Laura Plane’s husband Jon, 38, who’s still drying off.
It turns out everyone promised to donate £10 to CoppaFeel! if he stripped to his undies and lay in the freezing water, so he did!
Half an hour later, we take the final steps of our epic trek.
Everyone is hugging, laughing, and crying as Vicky and Chloe hand out medals to their teams.
I’m amazed at what we’ve achieved. I can’t quite believe my body got me through it.
Day 5
Before heading home, we stop at the Blue Lagoon spa to soothe our aching limbs.
I watch our trekkers, many of whom were strangers just five days ago, chat and sip prosecco like old friends.
When I’ve spoken to people who’ve completed previous Fabulous challenges, they’ve raved about how utterly amazing they are – and now I finally get it.
We may have suffered blisters and battered knees, but it’s so worth it.
Especially as on the coach to the airport I discover we’ve raised over £160,000. Well done us!