Leith cancer sufferer walking 500,000 steps for kids charity Clic Sargent

An Edinburgh woman who is battling cancer is on a quest to raise funds for a charity that helps young people with the illness.

Roslyn, left, and Peter.

Roslyn Grady, who lives in Leith, was given the heartbreaking news at the start of lockdown in 2020 that she had hodgekins lymphoma at the age of just 25.

Now, as she waits to see how her body has responded to a gruelling period of radiotherapy, she is walking 500,000 steps with her friend Peter to raise funds for children’s cancer charity Clic Sargent.

Roslyn said: “We’ve been everywhere, all over Edinburgh From Leith out to Newhaven, the Gyle, Vogrie Country Park, Rosslyn, Portobello, and Seafield, covering about 17,000 steps a day.”

All this while still recovering – she’s come a long way since she first found out she was ill.

While visiting family in Abu Dhabi in early 2020, Roslyn began to feel itchy and had swelling around the left side of her collarbone but put it down to the extreme heat.

But she returned to Edinburgh and the symptoms persisted, and by April she had tests done.

And in May Roslyn was asked to attend the hospital for the results, but she already felt anxious about the appointment.

She said: "It was the middle of the pandemic, when we were told not to meet up with other people, and they were advising me to bring someone else, so I knew it was going to be bad news.

“My mum and I went in to get the results.

"They told me it was stage 2 hodgkins lymphoma.

"I was just totally dazed by it all. My mum was sobbing, but it was about a week before I cried.

"I just felt terrible that this happened when I’m so young.”

Roslyn underwent six months of chemotherapy, which appeared to be working initially, however things took a turn for the worse as she began to see increased swelling and itching which had now spread across to the right side.

"They told me everything was fine and that it was just anxiety,” she said.

"But I had another scan in December and they told me I was now borderline stage 3. It was just devastating."

What followed was three weeks of radiotherapy, something which also has difficult side effects, and has left Roslyn waiting on results as her body recovers.

She said: "I’ve lost my hair, and I’ve gained weight.

“I don’t know if it worked yet. I’m waiting till May now, I’m just in limbo.”

In the meantime, Roslyn and Peter, have left footprints all over Edinburgh and beyond in the drive to raise funds.

Roslyn added: “I’m pushing myself for charity.

"I’m still recovering from radiotherapy, but I feel like I can help someone.

"I just don’t want anyone else to have to go through it.

"It’s hard pushing myself, I just try to do something that pushes me out of my comfort zone a little bit.

“With Peter here too, we motivate each other. I couldn’t do this by myself.

“I just want to thank all my friends and family for all their support, without them I wouldn’t be here.”

To donate, go to: www.facebook.com/donate/1308842109493280/