A Rugby woman walked through the town this Pink October in memory of two relatives she lost to breast cancer, and for every woman living with it.
On 27 October 2026, I walked 100,000 steps for two relatives who are no longer here.
I lost two relatives to breast cancer. There is no neat way to say that, and no walk that makes it smaller. But October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I wanted to do something with my body for the people who no longer have theirs. So I laced up, and I walked. I walked for them, and for every woman living with breast cancer right now.
I should be clear about one thing. I didn’t raise money. This wasn’t a campaign or a challenge for likes. It was a tribute and a way of raising awareness, a way of saying thank you and goodbye to them.
In terms of the walk, I completed the challenge by walking Barby road,Overslade area, over approximately 19hours.
I am writing in an individual capacity, rather than formally on behalf of MotionBelle CIC. However, my experience through MotionBelle CIC has been an important part of my community work and personal journey.
There is a reason I chose walking. It is the most ordinary movement we have, and it asks nothing of you except that you keep going. You don’t need a gym, a plan or to be fit. Anyone can start with one street, and that felt right for something that is really about ordinary women and the people who love them.
What surprised me most was the time. A long walk gives you hours you wouldn’t normally give yourself. The first stretch is logistics: shoes, snacks, route. Then come the thoughts you have been putting off. Grief doesn’t keep a schedule, but a long walk gives it somewhere to go.
Breast cancer touches many families, and it rarely announces itself. That is why awareness matters. Behind every statistic is a mother, a sister, an aunt, a friend, someone who was loved and is missed.
Rugby already knows what it can do for breast care. The Laurel Unit at the Hospital of St Cross looks after local women, and local fundraisers have helped to equip it. That matters, because when you are facing a diagnosis, being seen close to home makes a hard time a little less lonely.
If this story leaves you with one thing, let it be this. Get to know what is normal for your body, and see your GP if something changes. Go to your screening when you are invited. Ask the friend you haven’t heard from whether she has booked hers. These small acts are the quiet, unglamorous work that makes the most difference.
I walked for two relatives, but I was thinking of many. If you are living with breast cancer, or caring for someone who is, or grieving someone you lost to it, I hope this reaches you as a small sign that you are not carrying it alone.
Next October, I would love to walk with others. Rugby is full of women who show up for each other, and I’d like to see how much more we can do together.
Ify is the founder of MotionBelle CIC, a Rugby community interest company supporting women’s mental health through movement and dance.