Login
Login

Walking the CelticTrails

By Jennifer Rooks

Please Help Me Reach My Goal

Raised

$2,345

My Goal

$5,000

Select amount to donate

$25
Provides resources to help people in the workplace support a colleague diagnosed with cancer.
$50
Makes sure there’s a cancer nurse available on 13 11 20 to offer practical information and emotional support to callers.
$230
Provides a financial assistance grant to someone with cancer experiencing severe financial difficulties, to help them travel to their treatments, pay their rent or keep their lights on.
$900
Funds a high-performing science student working in a research lab for 3 weeks, enabling them to conduct ground-breaking research into new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

Or enter an amount

$
Donate

I’m walking again for cancer!

For many years I have walked long distance across many parts of the world and always for Cancer Queensland in memory of some special family members and friends who have walked the cancer path on their own and with me.

In 2025 I plan to walk again and this time the distance will be about 800 klms. My walk will start in Ireland on the Famine Way and St Declan's Way, then to Scotland to walk the John Muir Trail from coast to coast and finally Hadrian's Wall in England.

These walks should take me about 7 weeks to complete. Please support me and help me reach my promised goal. 

My Updates

Coffee morning

Thursday 18th Apr
Yesterday 16 friends came together for a cup of coffee and cake, to help me raise funds for Cancer, a cause very important to me.  We raised $250 with the help of Cafe Mandala. 
Thankyou for the support.

Coffee and Cake for Cancer

Tuesday 16th Apr
Tomorrow I will host the first of my Coffee for Cancer days for 2024. I have decided on a small gathering of good friends who have supported me over the last few years and always been there for me when I needed them. 

I would like to thank in advance Mandala Cafe for allowing me to hold this gathering of friends in the cafe.

As of tonight, the Cancer donation site has reached $1,943 so still a way to go but I always seem to get there in the end. 

I will keep this site updated over the remainder of the year and thank you for everyone's support. As always, this walk will be for the special boys in my family who have battled Cancer.  

My Walk is now Real

Friday 12th Apr
I have just returned from walking 136klms along the Rail Trails of Victoria. When I returned, I knew that I needed to get serious about the walk next year, so I have booked a Qantas flight from Brisbane to Perth to London and then a BA flight to Dublin. This will be my 7th visit to this beautiful and friendly city.

I will arrive in Dublin the day before St Patrick's Day so can now cross this off my to- do list. The next day I will head to Strokestown to commence a 9 day walk, 165klms, to the Famine Memorial in Dublin. I have decided not to walk the second planned Irish walk but fly to Scotland.

I will then start to walk the John Muir Way, 215klms over 12 days from Helensburgh to Dunbar. This walk has been organised twice before, but Covid cancelled it both times.

I have decided not to walk Hadrian's Wall this visit but to travel south to commence the Thames River Walk Source to Sea.  This 3 week or 292klms walk will commence in Gloucestershire and finish at the Tower Bridge in London. 

I am still to book my return fare in a few weeks when the Qantas FF flights come online but I have already booked some beds in the bigger cities, I am finding some places are already booked out. 

Over the next few months, I hope to start some serious walking in southern Queensland, walking during the cooler months.

This week I am hosting a Coffee and Cake Cancer morning with a handful of friends who have supported me over many years. 

The promised amount of $5000 is slowly moving along with several donations in the last few days. A big thankyou to everyone who has donated to the page.  

Rail Trails

Wednesday 6th Mar
I have been travelling for past 4 days and managed some walking. Tomorrow I hope to walk about 20klms and get a bus back to Yea. My next few travel days with Vline will depend on train/bus driver strikes. I can only wait and see what eventuates.
This section of the trail is known for its snakes so I hope they are all asleep when I pass. Lots of noise with the walking sticks and hopefully lots of bike riders. 
This small walk is a training walk for 2025, a big walk/walks. 
This part of the country has just suffered with a big flood so accomodation is struggling with some undergoing renovations. The countryside is very dry, trees are starting to change colour and tomorrow will be hot. I will start walking at 6.30am, hopefully the day will be with me.

The time to walk

Monday 21st Aug
For a few months I have been trying to decide on dates for a long walk and where I should walk. Ireland always comes to mind so have decided two walks in Ireland and then across to Scotland and England to finish. All walks are not long but about 800klms in total.

Next year I plan to walk in NSW to start some serious training and also some serious fundraising. My fundraising always needs the help of family and friends and often the help of complete strangers.  Strangers that eventually become friends and my supporters. Again, this walk will be solo.

Last weekend with the help of Muddy's Cafe in Cairns I held a Cancer weekend at the cafe. A big thank you for the support of the staff and the people of Cairns.

Keep walking.

Thank you to my Supporters

$1.02k

Anonymous

$325

Mandala Cafe

$250

Mandala Cafe

$190

Muddy's Cafe Customer Donations

$121

Mareeba Leagues Club Donations

$105.50

Barbara Dangaard

$52.75

Donna Graham

Exceptional effort for a great cause- thanks Jennifer

$52.75

Sandy Hocking

Will be following your walk Jennifer. All the best with it. Regards Sandy

$50

Julie Jackson

$50

Judy Taylor

$26.38

Donna And Paul Ryan

A beautiful part of Australia to walk in. Can be hot at this time of year. Go safely.

$21.10

Krishna Buhler

Great efforts

$20

Pete And Christianne

$10.55

Jennifer Rooks

$10

Kuranda Donation

$10

Carol Jeanes

$10

Annonymous

$10

Cas Mcintyre

$10

Angela Toppin