AN OXFORDSHIRE mum has been chosen to take part in a ‘life changing’ trek across Middle Eastern mountains to increase awareness of breast cancer.

Kelly Whitehead will be joined on the trip, which has been organised by charity CoppaFeel, by Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford, as well as author and vlogger Giovanna Fletcher.

The 38-year-old, from Bletchingdon, was selected from hundreds of applicants to be one of 53 hikers Al Hajar mountain range, which straddles the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The group will be split in two with the celebrities acting as team leaders. Mrs Whitehead is on ‘Team Giovanna’.

Explaining her reasons for applying for the challenge, she said: “My lovely mum had a mastectomy last March and the way she coped was just unbelievable.

“I want her to know how proud we are of her and I hope by doing this, she will be proud of me.”

The mother-of-one added: “I also want to be able to tell my little boy, who has just turned three, all about my adventure and how no matter what challenges life throws at you, with the right support and mental attitude, and having loving family and friends, you can get through it.”

Between November 4 and 10 the group will trek along the ancient footpaths of the mountains for six to eight hours each day, hiking rough terrain in the desert heat.

Mrs Whitehead, who works as a communications manager for the NHS in Oxford, said: “Walking for eight hours every day in the heat is going to be a real challenge and I’m hoping I’ll be as fit as a fiddle by the time November is here.”

She added thanks to Oxford gym Gladiator Fitness UK, who are providing free training to whip her into shape.

Mrs Whitehead said she plans to bring with her a family picture, as well as one of her son Louie’s stuffed toys for when she’s ‘having a bit of a tearful mummy moment’.

She explained: “I’m nervous about crying - I’m an ugly crier - when I miss my son and husband but I already know we will all be there for one another.”

She is hoping to blog and do a live feed from the mountains to share her experience with those back home.

Mrs Whitehead said: “This is going to be a life changing experience, I’ll see sights I would never normally see, meet people I would’ve never met and challenge my body both physically and mentally like I never have before.

“Life is for living and I want to come away from this saying ‘yep, I did that’ and having raised a whopping amount for CoppaFeel.”

Hikers were each asked to raise £2,775 for the charity by the end of August but thanks to generous family and friends Mrs Whitehead has already exceeded that figure, with almost £3,500 donated so far.

She said: “I’ve smashed my target but I still want to raise as much money as possible towards such a fantastic charity.

“CoppaFeel is the first breast cancer charity in the UK to create awareness among young people, with the aim of instilling a new healthy habit that could one day save their life.”

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