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Kate's Ovary Long Walk

  • Bluff is in my sights!

      30 January 2024
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    Two days ago, I climbed to 1000m above sea level at Telford Peak. As I scrambled up the final few metres, I caught a glimpse of what I’ve been aiming for since I started - Bluff!

    It was a magical feeling to finally have the end in sight and to know that my hardest days were behind me.

    Now, I am just four days away from walking the final kilometres into Bluff. It’s been an absolutely incredible journey filled with adventure, amazing people, beautiful landscapes and a generous dose of challenge! It feels very bittersweet to be finishing, but I know there will be more exciting things to come.

    This last week has proved to be a huge mental and physical challenge, but I’ve received an incredible amount of support from friends, family and strangers, which has given me the motivation I need to get there.

    With the recent outpouring of support, the story has started to gain a lot of momentum and public interest. I believe it will continue to garner interest beyond the finish date of the walk, and for that reason, I’ve decided to extend the fundraising close date to February 24th. I’m out here to make as much impact as possible and I believe this will help me to do so!

    Thank you all for your generous and ongoing support 💜 I appreciate it all so much.

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    • 30/01/2024 by Andrew

      You are an absolute inspiration to us all Kate! It certainly sounds like you have been doing it tough the last few days. We hope you enjoy and soak up the last part of your journey to Bluff. All the best from your friends at Frank :)

    • 30/01/2024 by Mark

      What an epic journey, the initiation of those long sands of Ninety-mile beach, the deep mud of the Mangamuka ranges, that was just the beginning, it got more challenging each day all the way to the end. You have made so many neat friends along the trail and touched so many more in your numerous posts with your "almost" in exhaustible smiles and good cheer.

      You have conquered it all with excellence in so many ways, how could anyone not be in absolute admiration of what you have achieved. Moreso how you have achieved it and the support you have generated in the Give a Little arena, so many very generous people who are backing you and the cause bears testament to that.

      You have always been a trooper and proved it once again. GO KATE.

  • I've reached the 1000km mark!

      10 November 2023
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    I reached a huge milestone on the walk this week - I've officially walked 1000km of New Zealand!

    I crossed the 1000th kilometre alongside my family and my trail friends, just after Piropiro on the Timber Trail in Waikato. We celebrated with yummy trail snacks and an attempt to create a '1000' on the ground with 7 hikers (it didn't quite work out - see the photo attached😅).

    Getting this far feels like a huge achievement. Just 10 months ago I was finishing chemotherapy and attempted to climb up Mt Pirongia. I couldn't even make it halfway. But just last week, I climbed up and over Mt Pirongia, with a pack, as just a small part of this much bigger journey. It's incredible how much can change in such a short time, especially if you approach it with a positive attitude.

    It's been an incredible journey so far and feel like I've already seen so much. Every day has offered something completely different, and every day has given me a reason to smile! Yet, there are still two exciting, challenging months ahead ☺️

    Soon, I'll be heading to the mountains at Tongariro Crossing and then on to a canoe section through the famous Whanganui River.

    Thanks so much to everyone for your continued support and encouragement. It makes a huge difference and I appreciate it so much!

    If you'd like more regular updates, then feel free to follow daily updates on Instagram or YouTube.

    Thank you!

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  • Week Two Recap

      16 October 2023
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    Start point: Waipapa

    End point: Pataua South

    Distance walked: 157km

    Elevation: 2785m

    The second week of the hike was full of beautiful beaches and hard climbs! I started the week in Paihia and crossed into Russell via the ferry. I then had a couple of days of road walking to get through, before climbing up the ridge from Helena Bay. It was terribly steep and very hard going with 16kg on my shoulders!

    The saving grace was that I met ten other Te Araroa trail hikers on the road and we decided to form a group to tackle this part of the trail together. They made it so much fun and helped to keep spirits high and snack pockets full!

    The next few days included beautiful beach walks, a stroll along the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere, and more steep, difficult climbs in the Whangarei Heads. Two of my best friends came to join me, along with my partner, parents and brother. How special!

    I had lots of opportunities to reflect on my journey whilst I battled up mini mountains this week. There's a lot that cancer has taken from me - my fitness and strength being a small component of that - but there's also so much I've gained. My appreciation for the small things and for the people around me has grown immensely, and with that perspective, these little uphill challenges don't seem so bad!

    We've nearly managed to raise $19,000 for gynae cancer, which is an incredible feat! Thanks to all of you who have shown support and given generously!

    Kate

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  • Week 1 Recap

      9 October 2023
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    Start point: Cape Reinga

    End point: Waipapa

    Distance walked: 208km

    Elevation: 2869m

    Week One flew by and I've already hit the Bay of Islands! Day one started with 50 knot winds and hail at Cape Reinga. I was having to hold on to the fences by the lighthouse just to avoid getting blown away!

    Since then, I've completed 90 Mile Beach, hiked through some of the deepest mud I've seen in my life and experienced the beautiful Puketi forest. What a spectacle! The dense native bush and the chorus of native birds are such special things to be surrounded by. You can easily imagine that you've stepped back in time to a prehistoric era when you stand amongst the giant Kauri.

    I've also met countless other amazing hikers doing the Te Araroa trail and have had chats with many friendly farmers, dairy owners, tourists, and local residents. On day five, I even had an impromptu radio interview at the local Mangamuka station, just because we happened to camp next door!

    I'm really in awe of the small, tight knit communities in Northland. The pace of life seems more relaxed and the communities are incredibly resourceful. The locals have shown amazing kindness too - something which makes walking 3000km that little bit easier!

    The feet are a little sore but I'm making good progress with the walk, and we're also making great progress with the fundraising! Thanks to everyone who was given so generously. It's so greatly appreciated!

    Kate

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  • Saturday is the big day!

      29 September 2023
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    In less than 12 hours I’ll be setting foot on the Te Araroa trail to take on this huge, exciting challenge! I can't quite believe it!

    The idea for the walk was born 10 months ago when I was going through some of the hardest days of treatment. The thought of the walk always brought so much joy to my days and helped me to focus my energy on something positive. But, for so long it felt like a distant dream and far from my reality.

    But now it’s finally happening! Thanks to the help, support and encouragement of so, so many people around me, this wild dream is about to turn into the biggest adventure of my life! It’s the best feeling, especially knowing that this is helping to create a positive change on a bigger scale.

    I’d like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you for your support so far. Your generosity has been amazing and I truly appreciate having such a passionate, caring bunch of people behind me. Together, we’ve already raised over $14,000 for gynaecological cancer awareness and research. That’s incredible!

    I’m so motivated to keep this momentum rolling all the way to Bluff and continue to make a difference for gynae cancer.

    If you’d like to see more regular updates, I’ll be posting daily-ish videos and photos on Instagram (@kate.wightman), as well as regular content on YouTube (@kate_wightman) and Facebook (Kate Wightman).

    Please feel free to share the journey with others, or join me for sections if you fancy a walk! :)

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