MS campaigner Nikki sets foot in Nelson

Arriving in Nelson marked halfway in Nikki Ladd’s journey to walk the Te Araroa trail to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis.

Ladd set out from Cape Reinga in September with a backpack named ‘‘Nigel’’ with the aim of walking 3000km down the length of the country while raising funds and talking to others about multiple sclerosis (MS).

In 2013, Ladd decided to combine a few tasks on her to do list. Do a big walk, raise money for a charity that creates change for people and honour those who had walked a harder life than she had.

Her best friend’s dad lived with MS for 15 years and she also worked with several people who were affected by the condition so had seen the effects of it.

Atop the Centre of New Zealand in Nelson, Ladd celebrated making it the the halfway point and conceded she would have to mix up the walking with cycling to save her knees.

After losing weight while on the road, ‘‘Nigel’’ no longer fit, so she purchased another, named ‘‘Janice’’.

‘‘I always need a friend to walk with, you meet people along the trail but you need a constant you can swear at.’’

But it was ‘‘George’’ the bicycle who would see her through the South Island.

Ladd broke several bones in her foot at the beginning of the year and after walking the length of the North Island, her knees were giving her trouble.

She came to the realisation that she would have to cycle some of the journey and has redone her signs, crossing out the word Walk to read, Cycle NZ for MS.

Her personal goal was to talk to someone about MS every day and she had met many people along the way who had been affected.

‘‘No matter what challenge that I have when I am walking, their challenges are much more.’’

Ladd was born in New Zealand but has been living in Brisbane for the last few years.

She started a social media campaign called Walk NZ for MS when she first set the goal. She now has 600 followers on her Facebook page. Her initial goal was to raise $10,000 but she had already raised $15,000 through food stalls and market days.

Those donating could choose to give to the New Zealand Multiple Sclerosis Research Trust or MS Research Australia.

To follow Nikki’s journey visit the Walk NZ for MS Facebook page.