TWO sisters who walked the 40 miles from Keswick to Barrow in memory of their parents are encouraging others to take part.

Registration is now open for teams to take on the popular challenge through the heart of the Lake District countryside on Saturday, May 11, as well as the shorter 21-mile Coniston to Barrow route.

Just 86 walkers took part in the first K2B in 1967, and four decades on 3,000 people take part to raise money for charity.

Among the good causes seeking teams to take part is the Bendrigg Trust's residential activity centre at Old Hutton, near Kendal, for disabled and disadvantaged children and adults.

Meanwhile, St John's Hospice at Lancaster hopes to attract more supporters than ever in 2019. Last year's donations of £15,000 paid for new beds and chairs for the in-patient unit.

Kendal sisters Claire Mason and Helen Shepherd completed their first K2B in 2018 in remembrance of mum and dad Sylvia and Ross, who were both supported by hospice staff.

Sylvia died at home under the care of St John's Hospice at Home nurses in October 2013. Ross had become a full-time carer for his wife after retiring, and he and the rest of the family were supported throughout her illness by St John’s Hospice staff.

“Despite the circumstances, never once did we think of the hospice as a sad place,” said Claire, 45. “Instead we felt happy for Mum to go to St John’s as it became a home-from-home for her as well as giving Dad a bit of a break. The nurses treated our mum as if she was their own mum.

"We spent a lot of time there and even my youngest, Logan, who was only a toddler at the time, has happy memories of visiting his grandma."

Sadly, just three years after losing their mum, Claire and Helen’s dad developed laryngeal cancer and had surgery to remove his voice box.

"After the op he had been doing really well and was getting a lot fitter,” said Claire. “He had been given a device which was helping him communicate with us again, but then out of the blue he collapsed and ended up in hospital where he deteriorated really quickly.

"After seeing the care Mum had at St John’s, Dad really wanted to go there but it ended up being too risky to move him and he passed away in hospital. But crucially, even though he never made it to St John’s, they were still there supporting us in the hospital.”

Through her work as a carer, Helen has experienced St John’s both professionally and personally. “Everyone is so friendly," she said. “Yes it's clinical but it's homely, and you’re not just a patient, you’re a person - you’re someone.

“I always recommend St John’s to people I look after and not just for end-of-life care. There’s a gentleman with Parkinson’s who now uses the daycare services and for him to get out and have a bit of lunch and just mingle means a lot.

“You soon realise it’s those small things that matter. Our mum loved gardening so for her to be taken out to sit among the trees was a really big deal.”

The emotional help the sisters and their family received from St John’s Hospice inspired them to give something back, and in 2018 they signed up to the hospice’s Keswick to Barrow team.

“The walk was really enjoyable,” said Claire. "Well, the first 30 miles were really enjoyable, then you have to dig deep.

"I’m very active but it was a real challenge. We had friends doing it with us so we kept each other motivated and there were lots of people along the route supporting and spurring us on.

Helen, 42, added: "Before the Keswick to Barrow walk, they [the hospice] even organised a 20-mile training walk at Pen-y-Ghent in the Yorkshire Dales so it was nice to get involved and meet the other people taking part before the event itself.

“If someone can deal with radiotherapy then I was determined I could do it. What’s 40 miles to raise thousands of pounds when someone is suffering and having to undergo horrible treatment? One day of pain for us is nothing.”

Helen’s husband Mark also joined the sisters on the K2B, and her daughter Lizzie, 22, did a charity skydive with her mum and a friend at Cockerham last year. Between them, the whole family and their friends have raised more than £7,500 for St John’s.

The next big challenge for the sisters is this September's Great North Run, when they will again be raising money for the hospice.

Sara Brown, community fundraiser at St John’s Hospice said: "Fundraising events like the Keswick to Barrow are crucial to us; we simply couldn’t continue to do what we do in the local community without them.”

She added: "Many of our walkers and runners have experienced first-hand the work we do and the care we provide here, but anyone interested in walking is welcome to join our teams."

To take part in the K2B for St John's Hospice, visit www.sjhospice.org.uk or call 01524-382538.

To join the Bendrigg Trust team, send an email with your name and walker ID to sarah@bendrigg.org.uk

To support Claire and Helen's Great North Run, visit sjhgreatnorthrun19.everydayhero.com/uk/great-north-run