Son’s walking tribute to mum raises £3,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support

Scott Pitchford arrived in Gibraltar on Wednesday morning after walking 153.75km from Malaga Airport to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

He arrived home in Gibraltar 43 hours after setting off and on the first anniversary of the passing of his mum, Sue, who lost her battle with cancer last year.

Mr Pitchford, who turned 44 years old as he walked, aimed to walk an hour for every year he spent with his mother before she passed away at the age of 75.

So far he has raised nearly £3,000 for the charity.

His choice to depart from Malaga airport is poignant.

"My mother passed away last year, just as I was about to take off from Malaga airport," he said.

"I didn't find out she had died until I landed in Manchester, which made the experience all the more heartbreaking."

Determined to transform his grief into a positive legacy, he wanted to raise awareness and funds for the Macmillan nurses who provided exceptional care for his mother in her final days.

“The Macmillan nurses were fantastic," he said.

"I want to do something to honour my mother's memory and give back to those who supported us during that difficult time."

Despite the emotional toll, Mr Pitchford maintained an unwavering determination, pushing through the physical challenges of a journey that took in 204,606 steps in total.

He documented his progress on social media, sharing updates and photographs with his supporters.

"I've been walking continuously since I set off, with only a few stops for food, water, and a quick clean-up," he explained.

His journey was not without obstacles, including a malfunctioning phone charger and a frustrating detour due to GPS issues.

He had not trained for such a walk but found that walking for a number of hours a day helped him deal with both his mum’s illness and eventually her passing.

To show support and donate go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/suepitchfordwalkmalagatogibraltar