Conquering the peaks: how a woman who beat cancer challenged herself (4 photos)

Jackie Scully beat breast cancer 10 years ago. Now she has set herself an ambitious goal of walking 100km in a year to mark the milestone. The culmination was a 48-hour hike across 24 peaks in the Lake District. It was a challenging but meaningful challenge for Jackie, helping her breathe deeply and feel the joy of life!





Jackie Scully, 42, from Greenwich, South London, has survived a tough battle with breast cancer. Now, 10 years after beating the disease, she has set herself the goal of walking 100km within a year to mark the milestone.

As part of the challenge, Jackie Scully hiked 24 peaks in the beautiful Lake District over the weekend in 48 hours.

“You have to cherish those moments that you have to feel alive – being out in nature, in the fresh air, on top of the world, or even just on the peaks in the Lakes. That’s what makes you feel alive,” she said.



Jackie climbed 11 peaks on Saturday and 13 on Sunday, climbing 3,045m in 22 hours. It was a challenging experience, during which her legs were “burning” and her body “hurt in ways she didn’t think were possible.”

“There was a point where I was trying to climb a shiny, slippery rock face and I kept falling because I couldn’t get a grip. My boots were soaking wet, rain was running down my nose and back, and I had another 19-hour hike ahead of me, and at that point I wondered if I had reached my limit,” Scully recalls.





Jackie and her husband, who supports her in everything

Despite the difficulties, she kept going.

"I always think you never know what's possible until you try the impossible," said Jackie, who previously broke the Guinness World Record for running the 10km in a group of 120 people at the London Marathon.



As well as the physical challenges, Jackie Scully is also aiming to raise £100,000 within a year for the organisations that have supported her during her treatment and recovery. This year is set to be the final year of her cancer journey, when she will be able to say to herself: ‘In 10 years, look what I have achieved for myself and for other people.’

‘It’s just amazing to have people support you,’ said Jackie. In November, she plans to undertake her final challenge of the year – a trek across the Sahara Desert in Africa.