Four Canterbury women are preparing to walk 280km across Portugal’s Camino Portugués trail, turning a personal journey of loss into a message of hope and support for men and families affected by prostate cancer.
Starting in Porto, the group will spend around 18 days walking to raise funds for the Selwyn and Christchurch Prostate Cancer Support groups.
For Vina Outram, the journey holds a special meaning. She is walking in memory of her husband, Peter Barrett, who passed away from prostate cancer in 2023.
Barrett was a farmer from Kaituna Valley, where walking across the farm and through the surrounding hills was part of his everyday life.
Barrett was also a passionate member of the prostate cancer support group in Lincoln. There, he found a community of people who understood the journey he was facing and wanted to give back to the group that had supported him. However, as his illness progressed, he had to step back.
And in Peter's memory, Outram decided to carry it forward.
“I wanted to do something meaningful in his memory,” she says. “Peter walked every day, so I thought walking would be the perfect way to do something like this.”
What began as Outram’s personal tribute soon became a journey shared by three close friends, each with their own connection to prostate cancer.
Among them is one woman whose husband was living with prostate cancer.
Outram said walking in support of someone living with prostate cancer makes the journey very meaningful.
“It’s not only for Pete’s memory” she said. “It’s for all the guys who are going through it.”
The money raised will help local men and their families access the support they need, including helping provide access to unfunded Prost FIT exercise classes.
Outram said the support groups offer more than practical help. They give men and their families a place to connect with others who understand what they are going through, helping them feel supported and less alone.
“It’s also for the caregivers, the people who are watching their loved ones go through this disease.”
Every step of their journey will be a step towards supporting those affected by prostate cancer.
The group are inviting the wider community to be part of their journey, with donations through their Give A Little page helping provide much needed support for local men and their families.
Updates from the Camino Portugués will also be shared through their blog as they make their way along the trail.
