Kate’s Grand Canyon tribute to husband
A week of dusty trails and camping out under the stars
The wife of a popular GP who died from pancreatic cancer is set to trek across the Grand Canyon in Arizona in his memory.
Kate Minett lost her husband Nigel five years ago – 10-and-a -half weeks after he was diagnosed with the disease.
Dr Minett, who lived in Staplehurst, was working parttime at the Orchard Surgery, Langley, when he was diagnosed, having retired from Marden Medical Centre after 21 years.
Now Mrs Minett is raising funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK and following in her daughter Rebecca Woollgar’s footsteps, who raised £10,000 by holding a dinner-dance at the London Beach Hotel, Tenterden, for the same good cause.
Mum-of-four Kate, 56, who works at Benenden Hospital’s Bensan Ward,will walk for about nine miles a day in temperatures around 30 degrees and camp out at night in the canyon’s desert ranches.
Mrs Minett is joining the Pancreatic Cancer UK Grand Can- yon Challenge Trek this month and will self-fund the trip so that all money raised will go directly to research.
She said: “It will be a week of challenges, dusty trails and camping out under the stars, a chance to enjoy the view and the wildlife and hopefully avoid the rattlesnakes, black widow spiders, mountain lions and vultures.
“Pancreatic cancer survival rates have not improved in 40 years with only 4% of sufferers surviving five years. My husband died 10-and-a-half weeks after diagnosis.
To donate, visit justgiving. com/fundraising/Kate-Minett