Lincolnshire woman undergoing breast cancer treatment helps inspire colleagues to walk from Skegness to Lincoln via Boston for charity
A Lincolnshire woman undergoing breast cancer treatment is inspiring colleagues to take on an epic 55-mile walking challenge between Skegness and Lincoln via Boston to support patients like her across the county.
The challenge is being taken on by the project management team behind the Boston Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).
The facility is currently being built on the former home of Boston United FC in the town’s York Street.
On Friday (October 2), the team will walk from Skegness CDC to the site of the future Boston CDC, then Lincoln CDC the following day – a total of 55 miles.
The challenge aims to raise £30,000 to mark the 30th anniversary of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity.
Half of the fundraising total will be used to buy another kitten scanner for the Boston CDC. Kitten scanners are interactive toys designed to help young patients prepare for hospital scans without the need of sedation or a general anaesthetic. The other half of the money raised will be used to enhance treatment and support for breast cancer patients in Lincolnshire.
This will make a direct difference to people like Donna Baxter, who works in project management with United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (ULTH) and is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Donna, 44, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, a fast-growing form of the disease which can be more difficult to treat and has a higher risk of returning within the first two years after treatment.
In January 2026, she underwent surgery at Lincoln County Hospital, including a lumpectomy and the removal of lymph nodes.
“I was lucky,” she said. “Thankfully, I regularly check my breasts, and I found the lump when the cancer was in its early stages. It’s so important to know your body, check yourself regularly and seek advice if something doesn’t feel right.”
Three months later, Donna began chemotherapy treatment, lasting a total of six months.
Despite the physical and emotional challenges she was facing, Donna continued going to the gym throughout treatment.
“The gym gave me a sense of normality and gave me some control when everything else felt out of my hands,” she said.
The CDC-to-CDC-to-CDC charity walk is particularly meaningful to Donna because the funds raised will benefit future breast cancer patients receiving care in Lincolnshire.
Donna, who lives in Lincoln, knows first-hand the commitment of those involved in the challenge, having taken part in such an effort before. For this year’s event, however, she will be cheering from the sidelines as colleagues from ULTH and teams from MTX and Day Project Management, who are building the new CDC at Boston, walk the route.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity Manager Ben Petts is overwhelmed at the challenge the teams have set.
He said: “In addition to funding enhancements for breast cancer patients, money raised will also fund a kitten scanner for the new CDC at Boston when it opens in Spring 2027.
“This child-friendly play therapy tool reduces the need for children to have anaesthetic prior to an MRI scan, resulting in a better experience for the child with less risk and less time spent in hospital.”
As the team prepares to set off on their 55-mile journey, Donna hopes her story will encourage people to remember the importance of checking for changes in their bodies.
“Early diagnosis made all the difference for me,” she said. “If sharing my experience encourages one person to get checked or support the fundraising effort, then that will be a wonderful outcome.”
To help the team reach their £30,000 fundraising target, visit Walking from CDC to CDC fundraiser | United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity.