Stafford nurse’s 2,000-mile challenge for mum with cancer

A nurse is beginning a 2,000-mile challenge to raise awareness and money for charity to celebrate her mum who has stage four bowel cancer.

Ellishia Lauder’s mum Tracey Carter now lives with a stoma bag following her diagnosis three years ago.

Lauder, from Stafford, said she had been inspired by her mum’s resilience and spirit – and being a nurse herself she said she wanted to push herself to make a difference.

The challenge will span the coming year and begin on Friday, when she will be raising money for the University Hospitals of North Midlands charity, as well as two stoma charities.

“We’ve had lots of peaks and troughs, multiple surgeries and there’s been multiple times where the cancer’s come back,” Lauder said.

“She’s got such a great attitude: ‘keep going, getting yourself up’ and just keep dealing with the new day, no matter what life throws at you.”

Mum-of three Carter, 65, said she was generally in good health but said having the stoma bag felt like an attack on her femininity.