In the words of Bon Jovi, she is halfway there! Congratulations to our mountaineering nurse, Janice Penman, who is preparing to climb the sixth of 12 peaks that she has challenged herself to conquer during 2023 in aid of our charity.
If you’ve been following Janice’s inspiring 12-month 12-mountain adventure, we caught up with her during National Volunteers’ Week (June 1-7) as she prepares for her June trek on the 22nd of this month – which fittingly she has decided to dedicate to our marvellous volunteers and the incredible contribution they make to the day-to-day work of our charity.
Technically, she will be climbing not one, but a trio of mountains as she takes on the Yorkshire Three Peaks, part of the Pennine range in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park. The circular walk encompasses the three best-known hills in the area – Pen-Y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.
The original inspiration for Janice’s epic climbing challenge was a patient with an advanced disease who compared getting up, washed and dressed every day like climbing a mountain.
The phrase stuck in Janice’s mind and, to mark 20 years of working for Isabel, she came up with the idea of climbing a mountain to raise funds and awareness for the Hospice. Demonstrating her tenacious nature perfectly, her idea quickly grew into climbing a mountain every month in 2023, with each trek dedicated to someone or something associated with her caring work.
Along the way, she has been accompanied on each adventure so far this year by friends, colleagues and the relatives of one of the patients she has cared for.
Last month, Janice was joined to the top of Gilder Fawr by our CEO Helen Glenister, while in April she trekked Snowdon with Danielle Scripps, the wife of Andrew Scripps, who Janice cared for in 2022.
Back in March she reached the summit of Cadair Idris with our Hospice at Home nurse Rachel Wisby in memory of former colleague Julie Moodey, a fellow Clinical Nurse Specialist who worked at Isabel Hospice, while in February she was joined by our Governance and SystemOne administrator Penny Fanthrope on her trek of Pen-Y-Fan. She kicked off her challenge with January’s climb of Moel Siabod.
For her June climb, Janice will be accompanied on her journey up the Yorkshire Three Peaks with a friend who has recently recovered from a brain injury – another great show of strength, determination and willpower!
If you would like to support Janice in her ongoing quest – and help her smash her £2,000 fundraising target – you can sponsor her here. She is also hosting a quiz night at Cotteridge Village Hall on 12th August so save the date!
Inspired by National Volunteers’ Week and would like to fundraise for Isabel Hospice like Janice? We would love to hear your ideas! You can get in touch with our fundraising team on 01707 384200 or email them at fundraising@isablehospice.org.uk.
