Family Completes Whitby 199 Steps Challenge for Niece

A trio ascended the 199 steps near Whitby Abbey a total of 14 times, a feat that typically causes leg fatigue after a single ascent. Bryony Jackson, who undertook this challenge to raise funds for charity following her niece Isla’s cancer diagnosis, stated, “walking up stairs is nothing compared to what she’s going through.” Ms. Jackson was accompanied on the climb by her mother, Nicky Hurrell, and her mother-in-law, Sally Alexander. The group concluded their fundraising endeavor with an additional 14-mile (22.5km) walk from Whitby to Harwood Dale on Thursday. “We just wanted to do whatever we could to raise money to help other children like Isla because when children get cancer, the effect on the rest of the family is huge,” Ms. Jackson explained. Isla, aged nine, received a diagnosis of a rare form of bone cancer in her pelvis in January and has since undergone 14 cycles of chemotherapy. Ms. Jackson, Ms. Hurrell, and Ms. Alexander have collectively gathered over £15,000 for the organization Young Lives vs Cancer. Family members, including Isla, joined the trio as they navigated some of the 2,786 total steps. “It was so amazing that Isla joined us and walked the last bit with her mum and dad,” commented Ms. Jackson, who operates The Falcon Inn in Cloughton. She further added, “At the sixth round it started to get windy and I thought ‘gosh this is hard’, but I just kept thinking of Isla, as walking up stairs is nothing compared to what she’s going through.” Isla remarked, “I’m really proud of Auntie Bryony and it looked very tiring when they all got back.” Since her diagnosis, Isla’s treatment regimen has included proton beam therapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and a total of 84 sessions of chemotherapy. Ms. Jackson highlighted that Young Lives vs Cancer had provided continuous support to the family, adding, “I don’t think people realise the financial impact of having cancer but the charity have been amazing at helping with grants towards accommodation and travel.” This challenge represents one of several fundraising initiatives the family has organized across North Yorkshire. Ms. Jackson concluded, “We’ve been blown away by everyone’s support and it’s just been so nice to show Isla how much she means to us.”