Two of Bronglais Hospital’s most senior cancer nurses are teaming up for an 85-mile Coastal Walk Challenge to raise money for the Bronglais Chemo Appeal.

Nurse Specialists Rhian Jones and Eirian Gravell plan to walk the coastal path between Llwyngwril and Cardigan in June – and they are inviting people to join them for the final stretch onto Aberystwyth promenade on the 25th!

Specialist Haematology Nurse Eirian said: “While we both love walking, the 85 miles of coastline will have many challenging stretches and we will be way outside our comfort zone. On some days we will be walking up to 18 miles!

“But we both work on the chemotherapy day unit and wanted to do something to help with the Appeal, which is aiming to raise the final £500,000 needed for construction to start on a new, purpose-built unit which will provide a better environment for patients and staff.”

Clinical Nurse Specialist Rhian added: “Our coastal walk will cover the coastline of the whole geographical area we serve, from north to south.

“We are lucky to live where we are, with such beautiful landscape and amazing scenery, and we feel it is a privilege to be walking for the Bronglais Chemo Appeal.

“We have set ourselves a £2,000 fundraising target and have already started our training, together and separately, fitting it in around our hospital working hours.”

Eirian, who lives in Aberystwyth, has been walking up Constitution Hill and around the mines in Cwm Rheidol, while Rhian, who lives in Pennant, has been walking from Llanon to Aberaeron, and around the coast of Aberaeron.

There is a fundraising page for Sialens Llwybr Arfordir Rhian & Eirian’s Coastal Path Challenge: https://hyweldda.enthuse.com/pf/rhianeirian-6b785

They are also hoping that members of the public will sign up to join them for the last stretch of the walk, which is around five miles and should take around three hours, starting at Borth and ending in Aberystwyth.

They said: “If some patients, their family and friends, or anyone else, would like to join us for the final stretch of the walk from Borth on 25 June to support the appeal that would be fantastic.

“We are planning on that last day of walking to do five miles, ending up on Aberystwyth promenade at the bandstand.”

More details on how you can sign up to the Bronglais Chemo Appeal Coastal Path Walk will be released early next month. Look out in the Cambrian News editions of 4 May and for the latest updates please follow the charity on Facebook (@HywelDdaHealthCharities), Twitter (@HywelDdaCharity) and Instagram (@HywelDdaCharities).

The plans for the new chemotherapy day unit are being welcomed by Rhian, who has been nursing at Bronglais Hospital for more than 30 years. She said: “A new unit will provide a better environment for treatment. The ambience and flow for patients through the unit will be much improved.”

Eirian, who has been in her specialist nurse role for 18 years, added: “We are all excited about the plans for a new chemotherapy day unit because we offer a high standard of care and it will be nice to have a facility that reflects this.

“The new unit will offer more privacy and will also reassure patients and the wider communities that these services are here to stay at Bronglais Hospital and that the hospital is one to be proud of.”

Both say they have had huge support from their families for their fundraising walk.

Rhian said: “Our families think we are mad to be taking on such a long distance but my husband Dafydd and my daughters Heti and Lowri have been so encouraging. Lowri has been walking a lot with me to keep my company.”

Eirian added: “My husband Huw and I do a lot of walking, although not to these distances, and he has been encouraging me and helping me with the training.”