Peru trek gives Linda focus

LINDA Noonan says she was in a daze following the death of her husband, when she applied for a charity trek that will take her to Peru later this year.Linda, 56, of Lawson Street, Maryport, had decided to retire early as chef at Broughton Craggs to spend time with Mike, who was 12 years older than her.But just a week before she was due to finish work in March last year, Mike died of lung cancer, only five weeks after he was diagnosed.It was a body blow for Linda who had already faced two bouts of breast cancer herself and who had watched Mike fight back from brain haemorrhages, when he was 38 and 48.Because of his illness, Mike had become slightly disabled but he was still always able to look at the world in a positive light, Linda says.“We went on holiday to West Africa in January last year and he became ill with a chest infection. He landed in hospital and it was there that he was diagnosed with cancer.”She says his death was a huge blow and it was in the fuzzy aftermath, where she barely knew what she was doing, that she sent away an application for a charity trek to Peru.“I’d almost forgotten about it when I was told I was accepted,” she said.While she is still fighting the loneliness and just missing Mike, she says the trip has certainly given her something to focus on.It is being held to raise money for Scope, a charity dedicated to raising money for research and support for those with cerebral palsy.“Mike didn’t have cerebral palsy but because he had become quite disabled, I felt this was the right charity for me.”She needs to raise £2,800 for the trip, although anything above that would be welcomed by the charity, she says.She will spend 10 days in the spring trekking in Peru, following the Inca Trail up to the ancient city of Machupicchu.There are 34 people on the trek and she met her travelling companions at a seminar last weekend.“Having met them and after talking about the trek, it is starting to seem real,” she says.While she will be raising money for charity, she says the trip will also be for Mike.“Two days before he died, Mike told me: “You must do the things you want to do. “I think him dying has put everything into perspective for me.”Anyone who would like to help Linda in her fund-raising can leave money or cheques made out to Scope at the Nat West Bank in Maryport or can write to her at 66 Lawson Road, Maryport, CA15 6LZ.