March 2021

A desert trek to raise money for skin disease research

This November, Rebecca Graham, 31, will be taking part in a five-day trek across the famous Sahara Desert to raise money for skin disease research. The Rochdale resident is hoping to raise £2,500 to help the British Skin Foundation find cures and treatments for all types of disease.

A gruelling challenge

The gruelling 100km trek will pass through valleys, gorges, plateaus, sand dunes and oases in Morocco’s forbidding landscape. The challenge starts on the Maider El Kbir plateau, before ascending the Jebel El Mrakib. The final days will be spent trekking along the Tikertouachene River before finishing (and celebrating) in Ouarzazate.

Witnessing clients with eczema so severe they were unable to work, cystic acne that ruined a person’s self-confidence and skin cancer that was caught just in time has had a profound impact on Rebecca over the years.

Rebecca says,

I have worked in the beauty industry for over ten years and I have seen hundreds of people with life changing skin diseases, including skin cancer. Supporting these people over the years has inspired me to raise money for the British Skin Foundation to help find treatments and cures for all different types of skin conditions.

Talking about why she picked the Sahara Desert challenge, Rebecca explains,

I’ve actually wanted to do a crazy challenge to raise money for the British Skin Foundation for a while, but I’ve never felt fit enough to do it. In February 2020, with the challenge in mind, I started working with a PT to begin some strength training. I worked hard over the year to increase my fitness and stamina and lost four stone in the process! I am now working through lockdown to increase my fitness even more. I’ve been following a special high protein diet and completing 4-5 intense training sessions per week including weight training, boxing inspired workout sessions, cardio and of course walking!

You can support Rebecca through her Just Giving page below. If the trip is unable to go ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will be rescheduled for a later date.

Support Rebecca here

Follow Rebecca’s progress on Instagram

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By donating to skin disease research you are helping us to find treatments and cures for common conditions like eczema, acne and psoriasis through to potential killers like melanoma skin cancer. Thank you.