Sheffield MS sufferer's 800 mile walk for beloved wife who died just a month after they married
Tony Hadfield, aged 49, was inspired by the memory of his wife Tina Herft-Hadfield, who “never gave up” despite her fight with bowel cancer.
Tony met his Tina at primary school, but they didn’t reunite until the pair were middle-aged. But she was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer and died just 27 days after they married. A month later, Tony was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
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Hide AdThe grandfather three, from Beauchief, has raised almost £8500 by walking about 800 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End for the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in Rotherham.
Tony, a former marathon runner, said: “I was focused on getting to Land’s End and rarely thought about the tiredness or the pain.
“Sometimes when the donations slowed down I would wonder if it was all worth it. But the thought of Tina pushed me on, because she never gave up.”
Along the way hotels and B&B’s let Tony stay the night for free. He also carried a tent and stayed at campsites.
Tony set off on July 29 and finished on October 5.
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Hide AdHe said: “Me and Tina would often travel to see the sunset at Land’s End. The whole journey I had this vision in my head of that sunset.”
Tony plans to sail along the Dalmation Coast with the Oceans of Hope charity next year, starting in Croatia in May.
Donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Tony-Hadfield